Kakhovka HPP destruction will affect not only people's lives, but cultural heritage - Ukraine’s minister of culture

Ukraine’s Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko announced this during a telethon.

"Cultural sites on the left bank of the Dnipro River, including Oleshky, Nova Kakhovka, and Kakhovka, suffered damage due to the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP. The damage includes monumental art in Nova Kakhovka, as well as specific museums, libraries, and clubs in all these cities," he informed.

In particular, Tkachenko explained that the extent of the damage will be assessed in more detail when Ukraine recaptures these territories.

"It is important to emphasize that the entire cultural and ecological landscape of the area surrounding the Kakhovka reservoir has been significantly damaged, extending towards Zaporizhzhia. This will result in water shortages affecting cities such as Nikopol, Marhanets, and others. Additionally, there will be consequences related to the shallowing of a part of the Dnipro River," the minister said.

Tkachenko further emphasized that the aftermath of the disaster will impact not only the normal routines of people's lives but also the cultural heritage.

"It will take a lot of effort and money to overcome these consequences," he added.

The minister stated that the full extent of the cultural damage caused by Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine is not yet fully known. He mentioned that currently, there are over 1,400 cultural infrastructure facilities that have been damaged or destroyed, with an estimated value in billions of dollars.

Additionally, the minister stressed that the restoration of the damaged cultural sites will require a substantial amount of funding. The plan is to secure this funding through international donors and reparations from Russia.

The Kakhovka dam explosion 

On Tuesday, June 6, Russian occupying forces blew up the Kakhovka HPP, completely destroying it. Evacuation efforts have begun to move residents away from the flooded areas. 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.

On the evening of June 8, environmental activist Greta Thunberg commented on the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant explosion following President Zelenskyy's address. She noted that this ecocide is a continuation of Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and our eyes are once again on Moscow, which must be held accountable for its crimes.

As of Thursday evening, June 8, the water level in the Kherson region dropped by 6 cm.

Meanwhile, in Mykolaiv, the water level in the city continues to be monitored on May 9, and as of the night of June 9, it dropped by 5 cm. Currently, the water level in the aquatorium has decreased to 100 cm.