Ukrainian soldier collaborates with MSU to study environmental impact of war

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - In a visit to the Michigan State University campus Monday, Ukrainian soldier Lt. Col. Pavlo Khazan opened up about the harsh realities of war back home.

“Of course, it’s this very special experience that I don’t want anybody to have, but this is our reality,” Khazan, chief of Ukraine’s unmanned military services, such as drones.

He is working with MSU to investigate the environmental impacts of the war. Khazan sat down with News 10 before he left for the Pentagon.

“Right now we continue fighting, we understand that our people is not protected,” Khazan said. “It’s practically no people in Ukraine, which are not somehow involved.”

Khazan went on to describe how nearly every Ukrainian he knows, has joined in on the effort against Russia. He said even one of his good friends who is a prominent Ukrainian film director, joined the army as a sergeant.

With his 24-year-old son on the front lines, Khazan said he felt no doubts about joining the Ukrainian army. He is an environmental engineer as a civilian but has embraced different roles within the army. He said one of the hardest parts is the innocent Ukrainians under fire.

Khazan will discuss their unmanned operations with US military leaders at the Pentagon this week. While he cannot share much about those conversations, they aren’t the only discussions he’ll have with US officials. While in DC this week, Khazan will also be talking about the environmental impacts of the war, with the US Environmental Protection Agency.

“For example, we are looking on our agricultural lands, sometimes there are thousands, or hundred thousands of holes, due to this artillery,” said Khazan.

Khazan went to college in Ukraine, where he met a friend that now works as an MSU professor. The two men reunited, to try to research and fix the environmental damage from war in their home country.

“We have weapons and everything that we need on the front line, but at the same time, we have our peaceful territories, which are everyday shelling with Russian Missiles,” Khazan said. “This is the most challenging, and this, of course, has absolutely changed our lives.”

Khazan wants to share his deep appreciation for the American government and people, that are doing what they can to support Ukraine in their war against Russia.

He said he looks forward to working with MSU to try to rebuild their environment and their infrastructure.

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