Moscow: The United Nations disclosed on Sunday that Russia has rebuffed their offers to aid communities impacted by the breached Kakhovka Dam. As the death toll rises and beaches in southern Ukraine are closed due to polluted water, the situation remains bleak.
On June 6, the dam, which is under Moscow’s control, gave way, resulting in the flooding of southern Ukraine and parts of the Kherson region that are occupied by Russia. The floodwaters have caused extensive damage to homes, agricultural fields, and infrastructure, while also severing essential supply lines to the affected communities.
The death toll has reached 52, with Russian officials reporting 35 fatalities in the Moscow-controlled areas, while Ukraine’s interior ministry has confirmed 16 deaths and 31 individuals missing. More than 11,000 people have been evacuated from both sides of the affected region.
Ukraine has accused Russia of causing the dam to fall on purpose, claiming that explosives were installed by Russian soldiers, who have controlled the dam since their invasion in 2022. According to a team of foreign legal specialists assisting Ukraine’s prosecutors in the inquiry, the dam’s collapse was most likely caused by explosives set by Russians.
In response, the Kremlin has accused Kyiv of sabotaging the hydroelectric dam, claiming that Ukraine deliberately caused its collapse. The dam held a reservoir comparable in size to the Great Salt Lake in the United States.
The United Nations has called on Russia to fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law and provide assistance to those in need. Denise Brown, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, emphasised that aid should not be denied to the affected population.
As a consequence of the flooding, authorities in Odesa have closed the once-popular Black Sea beaches, prohibiting swimming and the consumption of fish and seafood from unidentified sources. Odesa’s administration announced through the Telegram messaging app that the beaches were deemed unsuitable for swimming due to the significant deterioration of the water, posing a real danger to health.
Despite the fact that the floodwaters have receded, the Dnipro River, on which the Kakhovka Dam was built, has transported a massive amount of debris into the Black Sea and along Odesa’s shoreline, resulting in what Ukraine calls an “ecocide.” Toxic chemical levels in sea animals and on the seabed are projected to rise, exacerbated by the likelihood of land mines washing up on the beach.
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