Satellite images show massive flooding of Ukraine's south.
Satellite images shared by Planet Labs show the massive extent of the damage caused by the breach of the Kakhovka dam on June 6. Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on June 8 that 600 square kilometers of the oblast had been flooded[1].
Satellite images of the Kakhovka dam and reservoir in Kherson Oblast following the dam's demolition carried out by Russian forces on June 6, 2023. (Source: Planet Labs PBC)
On the right bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast, the area controlled by Ukraine, 20 settlements and 2,629 houses were affected, the regional military administration reported[2]. Evacuations of the affected areas on the right bank of the Dnipro River are underway, with 2,339 people evacuated[3] by 6 p.m. local time on June 8.
Satellite images of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast following the Kakhovka dam's demolition carried out by Russian forces on June 6, 2023. (Source: Planet Labs PBC)
A large number of settlements were also flooded[4] on the Russian-occupied left bank, with places like Oleshky 90% submerged.[5]
The floods also hit Mykolaiv Oblast, with 274 households affected and 467 people evacuated by 16:15 p.m. local time on June 8, Governor Vitalii Kim announced[6] on June 8.
Satellite images of Kherson city following the Kakhovka dam's demolition carried out by Russian forces on June 6, 2023. (Source: Planet Labs PBC)
Satellite images of Russian-occupied Dnipriany in Kherson Oblast following the Kakhovka dam's demolition carried out by Russian forces on June 6, 2023. (Source: Planet Labs PBC)
Satellite images of Russian-occupied Korsunka in Kherson Oblast following the Kakhovka dam's demolition carried out by Russian forces on June 6, 2023. (Source: Planet Labs PBC)
Satellite images of Russian-occupied Oleshky in Kherson Oblast following the Kakhovka dam's demolition carried out by Russian forces on June 6, 2023. (Source: Planet Labs PBC) 
Martin Fornusek
News Editor
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He also volunteers as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukrainer.
Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.