On June 6, the Russian occupation troops remotely blew up the dam of the Kakhovka reservoir in the Kherson region. The destroyed dam is already completely submerged. 80 settlements are in the risk zone, and some of them are already entirely flooded. More than 16.000 Ukrainian civilians suffered. People are being evacuated. Many animals drowned. The Novokakhovka zoo needs urgent evacuation: 300 animals have already sunk.
The scale of environmental damage to Ukraine is also increasing every second. Due to the explosion of the dam, more than 150 tons of engine oil got into the waters of the Dnieper. And another 300 tons will pour out in the near future. In addition, the rushing waters will wash away the soil and bring Russian mines to the surface from the left bank of Kherson. This increases the mine danger and future casualties among the population of Ukraine tenfold.
Roberta Metsola, Gitanas Nauseda, Marija Pejčinović Burić, Kaja Kallas, James Cleverly, Jens Stoltenberg, Charles Michel and other politicians spoke out about Russian cynicism and mania.
"Today we witness an unprecedented Russian attack against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. The destruction of a major dam is a crime of war that directly threatens thousands of people. Russia must be held accountable for it. And Ukraine must win this war to stay safe!" Gitanas Nauseda
"It is the children, women & men of Ukraine who will suffer the consequences of the terrible destruction of the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. This is an act against humanity. A war crime which we cannot leave unanswered. Today, more than ever, Ukraine needs our help." Roberta Metsola.
"I condemn Russia's destruction of a dam in Ukraine: it is criminal and reckless," Marija Pejčinović Burić.
"Terrorist state Russia has now turned water into a weapon. Destroying Nova Kakhovka dam is a war crime affecting countless civilians and bringing ecocide and mass destruction. We must stop this cycle of aggression by helping Ukraine to victory and delivering full accountability," Kaja Kallas.
"The destruction of the Kakhovka dam is an abhorrent act. Intentionally attacking exclusively civilian infrastructure is a war crime. The UK stands ready to support Ukraine and those affected by this catastrophe," James Cleverly.
"The destruction of the Kakhovka dam today puts thousands of civilians at risk and causes severe environmental damage. This is an outrageous act, which demonstrates once again the brutality of Russia's war in Ukraine," Jens Stoltenberg.
"Shocked by the unprecedented attack of the Nova Kakhovka dam. The destruction of civilian infrastructure clearly qualifies as a war crime - and we will hold Russia and its proxies accountable," Charles Michel. The politician also added that EUCO will help Ukraine take care of flood victims and "My thoughts with all the families in Ukraine affected by this catastrophe," Charles Michel.
This is not the first time Russians have blown up hydroelectric dams and drowned Ukrainians. In 1941, the authorities of the Soviet Union blew up the dam of the Dnieper hydroelectric power station. More than 100.000 Ukrainians suffered then.
