The victim was discovered along a stretch of beach near the port city of Odesa in southern Ukraine early this summer, with the cause of death still unknown. As a light rain fell in the open field where the necropsy would take place, law enforcement officials, a representative of the local prosecutors’ office, and civilian witnesses gathered to watch. On the beach lay a harbor porpoise, one of many washing up dead on the shores of the Black Sea. Pawel Goldin, a 44-year-old doctor in zoology who specializes in marine mammal populations at the Ukrainian Scientific Center of Ecology of the Sea, emphasized the importance of dolphins in the marine ecosystem. He stated, “If dolphins are in a bad condition, then the entire ecosystem will be in a bad condition.” The dolphins in the Black Sea are currently facing troubles, and Ukrainian officials believe their situation reflects the devastating impact of Russia’s war on marine life and the environment. Ukraine aims to document these environmental war crimes and build a case against Russia, with the hope of establishing “ecocide” as an internationally recognized crime. The necropsy of the harbor porpoise was conducted as part of this effort. Porpoises and dolphins, though often used interchangeably, are distinct creatures and both endangered. Ukraine’s endeavor to document and prosecute atrocities encompasses a wide range of offenses and has received support from experts in the United States, Britain, and the European Union. In addition to the thousands of registered war crimes currently under investigation, Ukraine’s atrocity advisory board has also dedicated resources to environmental crimes. The environment is often considered the silent victim of war, but Ukraine seeks to change that perception, as “the environment has no citizenship, no borders.” President Volodymyr Zelensky has included immediate environmental protection in Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan, demonstrating the importance placed on this issue. Ruslan Strilets, Ukraine’s minister of environmental protection and natural resources, reported collecting data on over 900 cases of dead dolphins, both in Ukraine and in neighboring countries Turkey and Bulgaria. The deaths of ten dolphins in a single week in July are currently under investigation. The constant use of acoustic sonar signals by Russian warships in the Black Sea is believed to interfere with dolphins’ sense of direction, as they rely on their own sonar for echolocation. Furthermore, explosions, rocket launches, and low-flying Russian fighter jets add to the trauma experienced by dolphins. However, it is still too early to establish a direct link between the dolphin die-off and a single cause. Maritime mines in coastal waters pose additional deadly threats, while pollutants from explosives and fuel leaks, along with war-related debris, have damaged significant portions of the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve. The ecological toll caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, which released polluted water into the Black Sea, is being intensively studied. The floodwaters carried heavy metals, pesticides, and nutrients that triggered a massive toxic algae bloom. A study conducted in 2019 estimated the population of cetaceans in the Black Sea, including harbor porpoises, common dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins, to be in the hundreds of thousands. While environmentalists speculate that over 50,000 Black Sea dolphins may have died in the first year of the war alone, scientists involved in the forensic examinations exercise caution and acknowledge the need for further understanding with the help of international partners. Ukraine has had to develop new methodologies to document environmental damage due to the challenges posed by the ongoing war. However, determining the cause of dolphin deaths is a complex task involving various research steps. After each necropsy, Ukraine sends samples to experts in Italy and Germany for further analysis. Ultimately, a large-scale survey of marine life in the Black Sea can provide a more accurate assessment of the overall impact. Despite the challenges, each documented and studied dolphin death offers valuable information. The porpoise examined during the summer had died a few weeks earlier, shortly after the destruction of the dam. Due to resource constraints, the porpoise had to be frozen until the autopsy could be conducted in accordance with scientific and criminal investigation protocols. The examination revealed that the porpoise’s stomach was full, indicating that it had recently consumed various fish species. These findings contribute to the mystery surrounding its death. Dr. Goldin is optimistic that a better understanding of the situation will emerge in the coming months but emphasizes that the Ukrainian Army is currently the best agent for nature conservation, as the end of the war will halt further destruction. He adds, “The sooner the Ukrainian Army takes control over the Black Sea, the sooner the environment in the Black Sea will begin to heal.”