KIEV, Jan. 26 ??“ The rapid fall in temperature in Ukraine could damage or kill up to 1.5 million hectares of winter grain crops that are not sufficiently hardened due to the warm weather this winter, the Agriculture Ministry reported.

"According to specialists, with a rapid fall in temperature, insufficiently hardened plants could be significantly damaged or destroyed. According to scientists, the damaged areas could be up to 1.5 million hectares," the ministry reported Thursday.

The winter crops in Ukraine on an area of 6.3 million hectares or 92% of the sowed areas are in a good or satisfactory state, while winter crops on 0.6 million hectares or 8% of the entire area sowed are weak, according to the ministry.