“The situation in national parks is critical”: Blowing up of Kakhovka HPP caused environmental damage of almost US$1,5 billion

Russia blew up the Kakhovka HPP, thus putting Kherson Oblast under threat of disappearance of 30% of its natural reserve fund. The approximate amount of damage to the environment due to the occupiers' blowing up of the Kakhovka HPP is almost US£1,5 billion, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Ruslan Strilets, said. Currently, the Kakhovka reservoir has lost 62% of its volume or 12.24 cubic kilometres of water.

The water level in the reservoir is already at the 10.55m mark, and it continues to decrease, says the minister.

The situation in national parks is also critical. The occupiers caused damages of more than US£1,2 billion to the Nyzhniodniprovskyi National Park alone. "The situation in the national parks is critical.

30% of the nature reserve fund of Kherson Oblast is in danger of disappearing. Water from the Kakhovka Reservoir has fashioned the Nyzhniodniprovskyi National Park into a water mirror. There is ongoing draining of the water area in the national parks Velykyi Luh, by 4.2 metres, and Kamianska Sich by 6," the minister wrote on Facebook.

We have launched English Twitter!

Follow us!

The Oleshky Sands occupied by the Russians are threatened by rising groundwater. Also, about 1,200 hectares of the territory of the Kinburn Peninsula have been flooded due to the explosion of the Kakhovka HPP dam. Environmental inspectors, national park workers, watermen and foresters at the site of the ecological disaster continue to record evidence of the occupiers' crimes.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!