Kakhovkaya Dam - Consequences
The construction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant [HPP] created the Kakhovka Reservoir, the largest in terms of water volume on the Dnieper, with a volume of 18.2 km3. Flow control is seasonal. The UN had warned the breach at the Nova Kakhovka dam could create an environmental disaster and have dire humanitarian consequences for hundreds of thousands of people. “We are gravely concerned about the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, … and the severe humanitarian impact on hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the front line,” the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said the dam collapse "triggered massive flooding in Ukraine and resulted in the evacuation of at the very least thousands of Ukrainians. We know there are casualties, including likely many deaths, though these are early reports, and we cannot quantify them right now.
"We’ve seen the reports that Russia was responsible for the explosion at the dam, which, I would remind, Russian forces took over illegally last year and have been occupying since then. We’re doing the best we can to assess those reports. And we are working with the Ukrainians to gather more information. But we cannot say conclusively what happened at this point. We will certainly share more information when we can.
"What is clear and what we absolutely can say is that the damage to the Ukrainian people and to the region will be significant... the Russians had illegally taken over that dam and the reservoir many mon- — many months ago. And they were occupying it when this explosion happened. And it’s very clear that the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure is not allowed by the laws of war. And in the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Convention, that the Russians have themselves signed, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, such as dams — and dams are clearly articulated in there — are violations of that code."
Serhiy Naev, commander of the joint forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said the dam’s destruction would not prevent Ukrainian troops from advancing. "As for preventing our offensive actions, the military command has taken into full account such treacherous enemy actions, and it should not prevent our advance in those directions where there may be spillage of water," Naev was quoted as saying by the state news agency Ukrinform.
Ministry of Defence Ukraine announced 06 June 2023 "Russian soldiers change into civilian clothes and try to blend in with the local population, which is being evacuated to the right bank of the Dnieper. In this way, the occupiers plan to use the detonation of the Kakhovskaya HPP in order to throw sabotage and intelligence groups into the liberated territories of the Kherson region."
"Russian invaders probably blew up a large Ukrainian hydroelectric power plant in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region, last night. The 1st Battalion of the 205th Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is accused of destroying the dam and creating a serious danger to the territories in the occupied south of Ukraine.
"Most likely, the purpose of this critical destruction is to prevent the advance of the Ukrainian army to the temporarily occupied territories in the south of Ukraine, mainly to the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
"Currently, significant territories downstream of the Dnieper are flooded. A major impact is also expected on the communities upstream of the Dnieper, where the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZAEP), the largest in Europe, is located. Before the explosion, the dam formed a large reservoir of fresh water that was used to cool nuclear reactors and for the needs of local residents in the area. Now the destruction of the dam looks like an irresponsible and senseless act for the residents of TOT and for the nuclear safety of the whole of Europe."
The North Crimean Canal supplies water to western Kherson, as well as Crimea itself. The destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station and the subsequent drop in the water level in the Kakhovka reservoir would stop the supply of Dnieper water to the canal. Ukraine previously closed the water supply to Crimea in 2014. With the start of the SMO Russia unblocked the water supply to Crimea after capturing the southern Ukrainian regions.
Most of rice growing systems were built during the Soviet times (mainly in the period from 1961 to 1971) and are located closed to two big irrigation channels. Their area is estimated at 62,000 ha. Due to a rapid decrease in rice production in the 90s, based on the economic crisis after the breakup of the Soviet Union, as well as on some ecological issues of rice growing in recreational zones, some of the rice growing systems have been destroyed or are used for other purposes. Rice planted area decreased to about 21,000-22,000 ha and is mostly stable. However, domestic production is growing, due to a significant increase is average yields.
Irrigation systems are critical to the success of farms in the southern Ukraine oblast of Kherson, a region marked by hot summers that produce little rain. Area of southern Ukraine experiences hot summers and mild winters, conditions very favorable for agriculture. The area is famous for its fruit, particularly its grapes, and could serve as a regional “fruit basket” were it not for insufficient irrigation limiting its harvest potential. Water was never in short supply for villages that sit on the banks of the Dnipro River. Ironically, after the Soviet Union collapsed many village residents who were left without irrigation water lived near the riverbank. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the irrigation systems were destroyed and pipes were dug up or stolen. The problem was that the old water supply pipelines that connected the pumping stations with the water storage pond was inefficient and extremely costly.
The dam breach will also hurt the hometown of Zelensky. Krivoy Rog "Southern Reservoir" is fed by the artificial flood of the Kakhovka Reservoir and provides water for household, industrial and agricultural needs. The lake itself is used for breeding commercial fish species.
Igor Girkin on the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station 1. The defensive line and fortified areas of the Russians (AfRf) on the left bank of the Dnipro were completely destroyed. "According to my information (from the spot), the withdrawal in the flooded lower reaches of the Dnieper was completed, albeit waist-deep in water, but in a fairly organized manner, with small losses. Troops hastily consolidated on new lines. The evacuation was unexpected both for us and for the enemy. Both sides tried to take advantage of this by actively using artillery. However - as reported from the field - the enemy transferred a significant part of his reconnaissance and corrective units to the Zaporizhzia front and his fire was not accurate enough to seriously impede the redeployment of our units. As for our artillery fire, I have no data on its accuracy. And, yes, - apparently, I overestimated the degree of "creativity" of the enemy command. The breakthrough of the dam, apparently, was not linked to the offensive operation. The enemy turned out to be unprepared for it just like our troops. Nevertheless, all the previously stated threats (including for the Kinburn Spit) remain relevant."
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