Greenpeace reports flooding of 32 sites containing chemicals, oil, and gasoline, following Kakhovka Dam explosion
The Russian destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant has caused the flooding of at least 32 fuel stations, warehouses, and oil refineries, potentially leading to the leakage of chemicals, oil, and gasoline, the Ukrainian branch of international environmental watchdog Greenpeace reported on Facebook on June 14.
Satellite data analysis reveals that, in the initial days following the disaster, approximately 150 tons of motor oil leaked into the water.
Greenpeace states that even a small amount of chemicals, which can contaminate soil and water bodies, can greatly hinder access to clean water.
The organization also drew attention to the risk of severe pollution as a result of the flooding of industrial areas. Chemicals washed downstream could pollute the Black Sea and coastal regions.
Wildlife will be adversely affected by the catastrophe, as their habitats will be contaminated, Greenpeace added.
Manfred Santen, a Greenpeace chemist from Germany, warned that without proper restoration, soils and water bodies may remain unsuitable for agricultural production and as a source of drinking water for many years.
Earlier, Ruslan Strylets, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, reported that a significant portion of the reservoir volume at the Kakhovka Reservoir had leaked due to the explosion at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.
He emphasized the critical situation in nature reserves, with a risk of 30% of the nature reserve fund in Kherson Oblast disappearing.
The Kakhovka Dam: what is known about the explosion
On the night of Tuesday, June 6, Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka Dam, which has been occupied for over a year. Cities and villages downstream of the dam on the Dnipro River were completely or partially flooded.
Ukrainian hydropower operator Ukrhydroenergo reported that the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was completely destroyed and cannot be repaired. Ukraine’s Southern Command clarified that while the entire dam was not destroyed, there is significant damage.
At an urgent meeting of the National Security Council, President Zelenskyy gave the order to carry out evacuation from at-risk areas and to provide drinking water to all cities and villages that received water from the Kakhovka Reservoir.
Evacuation from the right bank of the Kherson region continued through the night, while on the Russian-occupied left bank, which was more heavily affected by the flooding, a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding.
The Economy Ministry has stated that the construction of a new hydroelectric power plant may require about $1 billion and at least five years.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has opened an investigation into the disaster as an act of ecocide, and Ukraine has appealed to the International Criminal Court to ensure justice.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
