UN posts preliminary report on environmental impact of Kakhovka dam breach

The United Nations Environment Program published a rapid environmental assessment of the blowing up of the Kakhovka HPP dam by the Russian forces, pointing to the unclear scale of the disaster, which will be felt for decades.

That’s according to Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the UN secretary general, who spoke at a briefing on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He said it was a far-reaching ecological disaster that goes beyond the borders of Ukraine.

According to the assessment, while the downstream flooding has caused significant environmental loss and damage, the situation upstream of the dam is even more serious, the spokesman said.

The report states the detonation led to the release of chemical pollutants, including lubricants and liquid fertilizers, as a significant number of chemical depots were affected by the flood.

This can have a negative impact on the fauna and flora, as well as on the residents of the affected areas, the official added, referring to the published document.

A rapid environmental assessment of the Kakhovka dam breach was conducted at the request of the Ukrainian government.

Experts from 13 institutions in Kyiv and abroad contributed to the document, using official data, satellite imagery, and remote sensing, taking into account the difficulties in gaining access the facility, which is no within the active war zone.

Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka HPP dam on June 7.

Photo: Planet Labs