Zelensky: Russia must be brought to justice for Kakhovka HPP blast

In a post on Facebook, he wrote that on this day a year ago, “Russian occupiers blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant's dam and structures.”

“It was a deliberate and premeditated crime, one of their most serious crimes against the environment and people in our entire region. It is also impossible to estimate the exact number of people killed because the most severe damage occurred in the occupied part of the Kherson region,” he noted.

He stressed that at least tens of thousands of people were affected, and hundreds of thousands were left without access to clean drinking water. Large areas of Ukraine were flooded, and the Kakhovka Reservoir, which supported the stability of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhzhia NPP, was destroyed.

The direct consequences of this crime were felt in neighboring countries in the Black Sea region, Zelensky noted.

“During the past year, our state and people have been able to eliminate some of the consequences of the Russian attack. I am grateful to everyone who helped save lives, provide housing, and restore the drinking water supply. This is important,” the President noted.

He also stressed that no less important work will be done to bring Russia to justice for this and other war crimes, as well as all of Russia's deliberate attacks on people, humanity, and all living things.

“Everyone who works to bring justice to Ukraine and rebuild our country is a life defender,” Zelensky added.

As reported, on the night of June 6, 2023, the Russian army blew up the dam of the Kakhovka HPP. As a result of the explosion, settlements on both banks of the Dnipro River were flooded. According to official figures, 32 people died, but it is not known how many people died on the left bank of the Kherson region temporarily occupied by the Russians.

According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the total damage caused by the Kakhovka dam destruction exceeds UAH 146 billion.