The blowing up of the Kakhovka dam took many by surprise, even though rumours of such potential Russian actions had been circulating for quite some time. This act of aggression has served as a reminder of one of the very important issues facing 21st-century Europe: namely, that many Europeans can be caught off guard when someone acts in a way that is “not accepted in Europe” (or not prescribed). In Latvia (and elsewhere), the reaction to what happened was swift – it was possible to read on social media quite quickly what would be needed to support the residents of the lower Dnieper, and aid was organised very efficiently. This is not the time to evaluate whether our lives would be better or worse without past experience and relevant knowledge, but the warnings and awareness from Latvia and neighbouring countries regarding Russia’s unpredictability, which are often ignored, regretted, and then ignored again, are proving very useful in the current situation.
Conversely, the slow and sluggish reaction of certain typically vocal organisations to the blowing up of the Kakhovka dam is not surprising. Why? It is customary. This, however, would be the moment for “environmental activists” to demonstrate their typically loud stance and, perhaps, act (unusually) practically, as this would be an opportunity to transform into real environmental activists (without the quotation marks). What is this about? What is currently relevant for Latvia’s “environmental organisations”? The vote in the European Parliament on the Nature Restoration Regulation (law), against which objections have appeared.
While some complain about the lack of strict regulation, others act without waiting for instructions. While others read about what could be done, meanwhile...
“The destruction of the Kakhovka dam will not only contaminate water supply systems and threaten the operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’s cooling systems, but it will most likely destroy hundreds of rare animal and plant species,” the Ukrainian Ministry of Environment concludes.
The breach of the southern dam cascade of the Dnieper reservoir on 6 June forced thousands of people to evacuate from the territory in the lower reaches of the river. In addition to threats to infrastructure and human life, the flooding may also irreversibly destroy habitats, plant and animal species found on the banks of the Dnieper. The flooded region contains large areas of forests and nature reserves. According to data collected by Ukrainian authorities so far, the dam breach and subsequent flooding represent the most serious damage to the environment since February of last year.
“Given the comprehensive damage caused to the region, this is the largest ecocide in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion,” Oleksandr Krasnolutsky, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, told reporters in Kyiv on the afternoon of 7 June.
“We understand that what has happened will cause enormous damage to the environment,” stressed O. Krasnolutsky, pointing out that the water in its path would “destroy biodiversity and nature reserves”.
Ukrainian ecologists predict that the flooding will most affect the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve, which is home to thousands of species, and the Oleshky Sands National Nature Park.
The Kakhovka Reservoir nature reserve is located upstream of the dam, and it typically served as a stopover for a large number of migratory birds. Since the water flowing from the reservoir could carry pollutants, heavy metals and fertilisers all the way to the Black Sea, it will significantly affect the region’s marine fauna and flora.
Approximately 70% of Ukraine’s territory is used for agricultural purposes. This, in turn, means that flora and fauna are mainly concentrated around local rivers. “Nature parks were created along the waters with the aim of preserving threatened or unique animal and plant species included in the Red Data Book. We are worried that the species living in them could disappear,” O. Krasnolutsky noted.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is a broad (comprehensive) source of information on the status of animal, fungal and plant species globally. The flooding has also affected areas that are part of Ukraine’s “Emerald Network”, which is a component of the European-level network of specially protected areas. The “Emerald Network” includes territories designated for bird migration and nesting. “European regulations dictate that these territories must be protected so as not to disturb the migration of the relevant species,” emphasised Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Oleksandr Krasnolutsky.
The Dnieper is Ukraine’s largest and most significant river. Local residents have an emotional attachment to the river’s estuary, which has played a crucial role in both Ukraine’s history and agriculture, starting with the first settlers from the north who sailed down the wide river, to the Khazar and Cossack warriors who built the first cities on its banks. The Dnieper is at the heart of modern Ukrainian identity, which is why it is very painful for locals to accept the fact that the dam was first placed in danger and ultimately destroyed.
Russia is currently occupying the so-called left bank of the Dnieper, located on the eastern side of the river, thus making it difficult for the Ukrainian Ministry of Environment to respond to what is happening in the water-affected areas. When Russia opened the sluice gates of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in early November 2022, the water in the reservoir dropped to its lowest level in three decades, threatening irrigation and drinking water resources, as well as the cooling systems of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. In recent months, the water in the Kakhovka dam remained at a dangerously low level.
According to information provided by the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, the motive for the destruction of the dam was most likely the aim to flood the area south of the power plant’s dam to prevent Ukrainian army units from crossing the river.
When the water level had reached its lowest point, it began to rise because the Ukrainian side started filling it with water from other Dnieper reservoirs.
Between mid-February and late May 2023, the Nova Kakhovka dam, damaged either intentionally or through negligence, was not adjusted for seasonal water flow and its predicted rise. As a result, water began to flow over the dam, flooding the territory upstream.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources reports that it is in contact with major European government and civil society organisations responsible for and dealing with environmental issues, “to demand the condemnation of Russia and its exclusion from environmental conventions”.
“So far, non-governmental nature conservation (environmental) organisations have not significantly reacted to what has happened,” concludes Oleksandr Krasnolutsky, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.
https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/06/07/biggest-ecocide-in-ukraine-thousands-of-species-threatened-by-breach-at-kakhovka-dam
Comments