Zelensky visits a devastated Kherson after the Kakhovka dam burst

First modification: 06/08/2023 – 15:05

It is one of the biggest environmental crises in Ukraine and a turning point in the Russian war.

Three days after the destruction of the hydroelectric power plant and the collapse of the huge dam of Nova Kakhovka, In a Russian-invaded town in Kherson Oblast, authorities issued their first official report of fatalities: at least five people have died in the disaster and two others who had been reported missing were found, confirmed the mayor imposed by Moscow in the city of Nova KakhovkaVladimir Leontyev.

Meanwhile, average levels of five meters of water submerge entire villages and trap thousands of people.

As if that were not enough, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned that large water currents could disperse antipersonnel mines – both installed in World War II and those located in the current conflict – downstream from the dam, which would pose a grave danger to civilians for years to come.

“In the past we knew where the dangers were. Now we don’t know. All we know is that they are somewhere downstream,” said Erik Tollefsen, head of the Weapons Contamination Unit at the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The official pointed out that, in addition to anti-personnel mines, both sides of the conflict have used large amounts of artillery shells and anti-tank mines. “The exact number of mines in Ukraine is not clear, we just know that the numbers are massive,” Tollefsen stressed.

Zelensky reaches affected towns controlled by kyiv

In the midst of this panorama, the Ukrainian president arrived on June 8 in the Kherson oblast to examine the response to the emergency, including efforts to evacuate civilians, provide them with drinking water and assess the extensive damage to the ecosystem.

“Many important issues were discussed. The operational situation in the region as a result of the disaster, the evacuation of the population from the potentially floodable areas, the elimination of the emergency caused by the dam explosion and the organization of life support for the areas flooded (…) In addition, the prospects for restoring the region’s ecosystem and the operational military situation in the area of ​​the caused disaster,” Zelenski said in a message broadcast on Telegram.

01:44

After visiting a hospital and an aid distribution point, Zelensky ordered authorities to provide a “fair assessment” of flood damage and develop a scheme to compensate residents whose property was damaged or whose businesses had to relocate, the agency said. office of the Presidency.

The Dnieper River, the main river of the invaded country and near which the disaster occurred, is part of the battle front line. kyiv maintains its authority on the western or right bank, while Moscow occupies the eastern or left bank.

“Large-scale efforts are needed”

Hours earlier, the head of state issued a video speech in which he stressed that it is “impossible” to predict how many people would die due to flooding, in the parts of Kherson occupied by the invading troops, and urged a “clear and rapid reaction ” of the international community vis-a-vis the victims.

In this sense, the Ukrainian president reproached the UN and other organizations by indicating that they are not cooperating in the efforts to get the trapped people out. “Our military and special services are rescuing people as much as possible, despite the shelling. But large-scale efforts are needed (…) We need international organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, to immediately join the rescue operation and help people in the occupied part of the Kherson region, ”he maintained. .

According to Zelensky, Moscow would not be making efforts to help the affected civilians, a version denied by the Kremlin, which indicates that in the areas it administers two dozen people have been hospitalized, 4,280 have been evacuated and some 14,000 buildings have been flooded.

Added to these figures at least 2,000 residents evacuated so far from the side that controls kyiv. The Ukrainian regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin, affirmed that the operations continue despite the Russian bombardments.

“People are tired (…) They have no desire to flee to other regions of Ukraine,” Prokudin said.

What is known about the origin of the disaster

The figures provided by each party have not been independently verified, while both sides accuse each other of what happened.

Kiev insists that there is no question of Russian responsibility since the disaster originated in the area controlled by the Russian military and that the cause was an explosion coming from inside the hydroelectric power station.

The Kremlin, for its part, initially did not acknowledge any damage, then pointed to Ukrainian shelling. And on Thursday Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, backed Russia’s claim that Ukraine had blown up the dam to divert attention from what he described as a failed attempt to launch a counter-offensive.

01:09

As the days go by, new hypotheses for the origin of the disaster arise and a third option, some experts point out, is that the structure was already in poor condition, which would have caused its collapse.

With Reuters and AP