Commentary by Tamila Tasheva, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the AR of Crimea/Head of the Crimean Platform Office, on the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP and Crimea by Russia in this context

“First. The root cause of most global crimes is fear. In this case, it is fear of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and their future offensive. When the occupiers destroy the infrastructure supporting the south of Ukraine, it means that they realize that there is no alternative to freeing this territory from their occupation and want to leave behind a devastated land with an environmental disaster. Outright crimes will not stop the Armed Forces of Ukraine from de-occupying Ukrainian territory, but they create terrible harm to people and their well-being, as well as to all living things.

Second. The explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant is a disaster not only for Kherson region, but a problem for the entire south of Ukraine, including Crimea. The devastation of the Kakhovka reservoir will have the greatest impact on the supply of drinking water and the system of irrigation canals in general. The North Crimean and Kakhovka canals will be left without access to water and will not be able to be filled until the Kakhovka HPP is restored.

This means that the left bank of the Kherson region, part of the Zaporizhzhia region, and Crimea will be left without Dnipro water. The region will face a food crisis and impoverishment of the population engaged in agriculture and businesses dependent on water supplies. As usual, Russia does not think about people and consequences.

The Kherson region is a predominantly agricultural region, where the cultivation of grain and other crops is the basis of the economic well-being of the inhabitants. Now the livelihood of many is under threat. The occupiers do not care about the region or the local residents.

Third. Another threat is the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The filling of the nuclear power plant’s cooling ponds depends on the water level in the Kakhovka Reservoir, which is needed to supply water for the plant’s turbine capacitors and safety systems. Currently, the plant’s cooling pond is sufficiently filled to ensure its safe operation. The situation at ZNPP is currently under control, with Ukrainian personnel monitoring all indicators. However, the threat of man-made accidents at ZNPP has now increased significantly. In the event of any unforeseen situations at ZNPP, southern Ukraine, including Crimea, will again be at risk.

Fourth. Flooding of settlements and agricultural land will inevitably lead to the ingress of oil products and agricultural chemicals into the water. All of this water will be carried to the Black Sea by the Dnipro riverbed. Swimming in the sea in the near future off the coast of Mykolaiv, Kherson regions and the western coast of Crimea is undesirable and may pose a threat to the health of citizens, and at the same time lead to poisoning of the ecosystem and irreparable consequences.

The occupiers will have to pay for everything they are destroying. Including for this crime of the Putin regime. For decades, Russia will be paying reparations for everything destroyed and damaged in this war.”