The explosion of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station was the largest act of ecocide since the Second World War, causing damage of UAH 146 billion. This led to the loss of 50% of flooded forests, the destruction of endemic animal species and the loss of 14 cubic kilometers of water, leaving 880 thousand Ukrainians without access to drinking water. This was stated by the minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strelets on the air of the telethon on Thursday, reports UNN.
The explosion of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station is the largest act of ecocide since the Second World War. As a result of the explosion, we estimated losses of UAH 146 billion. At the time of the terrorist attack, this was more than 15% of the total amount of losses accrued at that time
He said that large water destroyed a significant number of protected areas. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources records that 50% of the forest that was flooded will definitely not survive, more than a thousand tons of destruction were simply washed away into the Black Sea, endemic animal species were lost, and the lack of water accelerated the issue of climate change, it became dry, and the soil will dry up for years.
"If we move away from environmental consequences and move on to people, we understand that 880 thousand Ukrainians have potentially lost access to drinking water. In general, the explosion of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station is the loss of 14 cubic kilometers of water in 2 days, which was used to supply drinking water, for irrigation. This is a 1.5 - year volume of water consumption by Ukrainians, because in one year we consume 9 cubic kilometers," the minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources added.
recall
A year ago, on June 6, 2023, the Russian military committed a deliberate and calculated crime by blowing up the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station in the Kherson region. During the year, we managed to eliminate some of the consequences of the Russian strike. However, a significant job will be to bring the Russian Federation to justice for this and other crimes of war.