VIENNA, 8 June 2023 – In line with the mandate of the Organization, and through the particular efforts of the Office of the Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities, the OSCE has been working on addressing environmental and security impacts and challenges of the war in Ukraine, in partnership with UN agencies and field operations. The recent destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Kherson oblast creates additional challenges, dramatically increasing threats to livelihoods and intensifying economic risks for the populations concerned.

Ukrainian authorities have solicited support from the OSCE to further monitor and address these challenges.

OSCE experts underline the immediate and long-term implications of the destruction of the dam, both in the immediate surroundings, as well as further downstream and at the trans-national level, with serious dangers to public health, economic activities, energy security and ecosystem integrity.

The flooding of land and farms is threatening to compromise agricultural outputs and the collapse of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric power plant could trigger a massive disruption of electricity supply in the region. Furthermore, nuclear security could be compromised, as decreased water levels in the reservoir serving the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) could affect the functioning of the plant, a situation that is being closely monitored by Ukraine’s National Nuclear Energy Generating Company, Energoatom, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Finally, extensive pollution, both hazardous and non-hazardous, threaten to plague vast downstream areas with the destruction of industrial infrastructures. This is all in addition to the plight of tens of thousands facing evacuation and displacement due to the destruction of the dam.

The consequences are significant and will need to be assessed fully.

The OSCE stands ready to continue supporting Ukraine and will coordinate modalities with national authorities in the coming days.