EU to help Ukraine overcome consequences of Kakhovka HPP explosion

The European Commission's statement says it. 

“The destruction of Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine has led to devastating humanitarian and ecological consequences. While evacuations of affected populations are underway, Ukraine has requested international EU assistance in the form of equipment and machinery for relief efforts. In an immediate response, the EU is already channeling aid via its Civil Protection Mechanism thanks to first offers from Germany, Austria and Lithuania,” the statement says. 

In particular, Germany has offered 5,000 filters and 56 generators, while Austria has offered 10 drilling pumps, 56 containers and 20 water tanks, which are on their way to Ukraine.

Lithuania and Germany also want to donate equipment for the shelter - tents, beds and blankets.

“The EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre is in direct contact with the Ukrainian emergency services to monitor the exact needs on the ground, and stands ready to coordinate further assistance into Ukraine based on the emerging needs. At the same time, the EU's humanitarian office in Ukraine is coordinating with its humanitarian partners to rapidly respond to the needs of those affected by flooding, including by providing food assistance and drinking water,” the European Commission added. 

Explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station

On June 6, occupying Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, completely destroying it. The evacuation of residents of the flooded areas began. After that, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy convened an emergency meeting of the Security and Defense Council, and the world began to respond to the tragedy. Follow the detailed course of events here.

In particular, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has allocated UAH 1.5 billion to build two new water mains that will help supply Kryvyi Rih, Nikopol and Marhanets with drinking water. In addition, the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions were allocated almost UAH 846 million to meet the regions' drinking water needs.

Instead, Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev, commander of the AFU Joint Forces, said that the occupiers' blowing up of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant would not affect the Ukrainian counteroffensive. And the Kyiv HPP is covered from air strikes and protected from enemy subversive reconnaissance groups.

For his part, Ukrhydroenergo CEO Ihor Syrota said that the peak of the water spill from the Kakhovka reservoir is expected in the morning of June 7. According to him, after that the situation will begin to stabilize, and in 4-5 days the water will start to subside.

And the President of Ukraine held a meeting of the supreme military command to discuss the situation at the front, readiness for a counteroffensive, and the Russian explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. He emphasized that Russia had mined the dam of the hydroelectric power plant last year, and Ukraine was ready for the explosion.

In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the consequences of the hydroelectric power plant explosion and the risks to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with the IAEA Director General and invited him to Ukraine.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy has estimated that, according to preliminary estimates, approximately 10,000 hectares of agricultural land on the right bank will be flooded as a result of the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP.

On the evening of June 6, the UN Security Council met to discuss the situation that arose after Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam. Ukraine's permanent representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said that by blowing up the hydroelectric power plant, the Russians had proved that they were unable to hold the temporarily occupied territories. In turn, the UN Under-Secretary-General emphasized that the explosion of the hydroelectric power plant would have far-reaching consequences for many thousands of people.

US President Joe Biden also responded to the tragedy. He assured of his support and assistance to Ukraine.

As a result of the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, Ukraine's only state-owned sturgeon farm was flooded. This could lead to the extinction of this fish species in the country's water bodies.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan believes that Ukraine should investigate the June 6 explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant together with the Russians.

The Ministry of Health suggests the possibility of a cholera outbreak as a result of the Russians' blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam and flooding a number of settlements.

As a result of the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, wheat prices rose by 3% to USD 6.4 per bushel, corn by 1%, and oats by 0.8%. After correction, wheat costs about USD 6.23.