Almost 55 thousand hectares of forests may be flooded with water in the Kherson region as a result of the explosion of the Kakhovka hydropower plant by Russian troops, of which 47 thousand hectares are occupied territories, said the director of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” Yuri Bolokhovets.
“It is quite difficult to assess the damage caused to forestry now, because we do not have access to the occupied territories. However, it is possible to predict the situation,” he wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
Bolokhovets noted that the left bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region is planted with pine forests. The fertile layer of forests and young plantings could have already been literally swept away by the flow of water.
Pine grows well where it is dry, the expert explains. Stagnant water in waterlogged places provokes the development of root rot and changes the acidity of the soil. It can kill trees if the water stagnates for up to 20 days, as it is predicted. Trees under 10 years of age are particularly endangered, the report says.
Of particular concern to the head of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” are wild animals, which found themselves in flooded areas. “If there is still hope for the preservation of plants in the forest, the animals are actually doomed. Perhaps some may be able to cling to an island of land, but the vast majority will simply be carried by the current into the open sea. These are deer, roe deer, wild boar. Lizards, snakes, hares, hedgehogs have no chance”, Bolokhovets notes.
He also pointed out that the threat of flooding is close to Kynburne Spit, most of which is below sea level. According to him, the isthmus at the end of the bay outside the Dnieper delta is likely to be almost completely flooded, and this could happen in 50 hours after the breach of the dam.
“The regional landscape park “Kinburn Spit”, which has been suffering from fires as a result of shelling for more than a year, may now be partially under water,” said Bolokhovets.
It is noted that due to the destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station into the Dnieper about 150 tons of machine grease, the precipitation of which on plants leads to irreversible consequences in the process of photosynthesis.
“Such actions of a terrorist country are ecocide, for which they will have to answer”, – summarized the head of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”.
The blowing up of the Kakhovskaya HPP (Dnipropetrovsk Region) has not directly affected the situation in the country’s energy system and there is no threat to power supply stability, the Ministry of Energy and NEC Ukrenergo said on Tuesday. As of June 6, there was enough electricity generated to cover consumers’ needs.
“Experts of the Ministry of Energy and Ukrhydroenergo are studying the potential impact of the disaster on the volume of hydro generation. The actual level of electricity generated so far corresponds to the planned one,” the ministry noted, in particular.
It also confirmed the information about the absence of a direct threat to the Zaporizhzhya NPP,
“The situation at ZNPP. Despite the gradual decrease in the water level, there is no direct threat to the occupied plant. Energoatom experts are constantly monitoring the situation,” the ministry stated.
At the same time there is a risk of flooding of power facilities in the Kherson region, in particular, the Kherson CHPP, because of the dam detonation. Because of the underflooding in Kherson almost 12 thousand consumers in the area of Ostrov are already de-energized, there may be problems with water supply. Preventive anti-crisis measures are being prepared.
In turn, Ukrenergo reminded that from the first days of aggression, the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was occupied and mined by the Russians. Technological connection with it has been lost, the output of power to the controlled territory of Ukraine from the plant was not made.
“Tonight the aggressor country committed another act of terrorism at the civilian infrastructure facility, which is a tragedy for our fellow citizens and a large-scale environmental catastrophe. “Ukrenergo will further report on the impact of the consequences of the disaster on the state of the energy system,” the NEC said.
In addition, according to the ministry and Ukrenergo, overnight Russian shelling damaged regional power grids in Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy and Donetsk regions. In the Kiev region, there is damage to oblenergo networks due to the falling debris of a hostile target shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.
“Due to previous shelling, some consumers in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kherson and Chernihiv regions also remain without power. Repair crews are working where the security situation allows it,” the Ministry of Energy added.
In addition, according to Ukrenergo, in the morning and partially in the afternoon of June 6, electricity is exported to Poland. During the daytime, there are imports from Slovakia. There are no imports or exports in the evening.
According to the Ministry of Energy, commercial imports of electricity on June 5 amounted to 1,031 MWh, while exports to Poland amounted to 1,800 MWh.
