Ecocide and the tragedy of thousands of people: three years after the explosion of the Kakhovka HPP

Three years have passed since the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was blown up by Russian troops, one of the largest man-made disasters caused by the war in Ukraine. Tens of thousands of people were affected by the dam's destruction, and rescuers and volunteers conducted a large-scale rescue operation to save people and animals under fire.

This was reported by the press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

June 6 marked three years since the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was blown up by Russian occupation forces. The destruction of the dam caused a large-scale flood in southern Ukraine, which was called one of the worst man-made and environmental disasters during the full-scale war.

More than 80 settlements were flooded as a result of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant explosion. About 16,000 people found themselves in the emergency zone and were forced to flee by the rapid rise of water. The disaster claimed lives, and some residents are reported missing. The UN has estimated the damage at $14 billion, but the real consequences are yet to be accounted for.

In the first hours after the tragedy, rescuers, volunteers and emergency services joined the relief efforts. Despite constant Russian shelling and difficult working conditions, they evacuated residents from the flooded areas, often risking their own lives.

Over the course of the rescue operation, more than 700 people were rescued and nearly 3,800 people were evacuated. Not only people were helped, but also more than 280 pets and domestic animals were evacuated from flooded houses, roofs and yards.

The rescuers worked in the water, under fire and under severe time pressure. For many residents of the flooded areas, they were the only chance for salvation.

On the third anniversary of the tragedy, Ukraine remembers the victims of the disaster and honors the courage of all those who fought for people's lives in the first days after the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant explosion. The memory of this day remains a reminder of the scale of the destruction and human losses caused by the war.

Today, wildlife is rapidly reviving on the site of the former Kakhovka Reservoir, which was destroyed by Russian troops by blowing up the dam in June 2023. The territory of the legendary Velykyi Luh, which had been underwater for decades, is now being transformed into a unique natural forest.

Анна Бальчінос