Ukraine’s Kakhovka Dam was destroyed exactly two years ago on Friday, representing the most significant environmental disaster so far resulting from Russia’s ongoing invasion. Its collapse directly impacted over 100,000 people and submerged more than 620 square kilometres under water.In addition to causing widespread displacement, the disaster created a humanitarian and ecological crisis – threatening disease outbreaks and prompting the collapse of ecosystems. The loss and damage from this event is estimated to be $14 billion. UN News’ Evgeniya Kleshcheva sat down this week with Roman Shakhmatenko, a team leader with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, to discuss the “far-reaching” consequences of the collapse.UN News Service: Two years have passed since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. How would you assess the current situation, and how are people living today in the affected regions?Roman Shakhmatenko: This is a very important conversation, because we must not forget about the consequences of the disaster – and it truly is a disaster. Initially, everyone was, of course, concerned about the large-scale floods. These floods caused colossal damage – not only to residential buildings and infrastructure, but also led to a loss of biodiversity, the death of animals, and an impact on entire ecosystems. This inflicted serious damage on the environment and the ecosystem that Kakhovka had created. Although the Kakhovka reservoir is an artificial object, it became a full-fledged ecosystem. It provided a habitat for many species, including those listed in the Red Book as endangered. This fragile ecosystem was destroyed. And that was just the beginning. Next – the redistribution of water flows, which affected the water supply to a significant part of eastern and southeastern Ukraine. This directly impacted households and, of course, agriculture. Although nature recovers fairly quickly, and we’re already seeing some signs of recovery – despite contamination and siltation – the redistribution of water resources remains a serious threat to people in the region: in Kryvyi Rih, Marhanets, Nikopol, and other settlements that previously received water from Kakhovka. Even now, despite emergency measures by the government and international organizations, people are still struggling to cope with the situation. Irrigation systems are largely damaged or destroyed. This jeopardizes agricultural production, and therefore – food security in the country. Many communities are still facing a shortage of fresh water. UN News Service: Tell us about UNDP's work. How have you supported local communities and infrastructure recovery?Roman Shakhmatenko: When the Kakhovka dam disaster occurred, we immediately realized: the flood is only the beginning. We, of course, helped communities – we provided generators for pumps, equipment for clearing debris, and waste disposal. But it became clear that the water supply problem, especially in the Dnipropetrovsk region, requires more sustainable solutions. Many communities in this region experienced difficulties with water access even before the dam’s destruction, and now they have lost it completely. We understood that humanitarian aid would not be enough – solutions were needed at least for the medium term. Therefore, we began with the installation of water purification stations. This equipment allowed people to use contaminated water from available sources – for example, from the Inhulets and Saksahan rivers – and purify it. But filtration alone was not enough. Communities are spread out over a large distance from each other. Therefore, we also provided water tankers for water distribution. These water purification stations and vehicles are still operating, providing people with water even two years later.In addition, we conducted an important study of soil contamination. Together with state environmental inspections, we sent a mission to the Kakhovka dam area to analyse for heavy metals and other pollutants. We took 40 samples and conducted an analysis of more than 300 indicators. This was a dangerous mission – the region is under shelling, and the risk to the lives of specialists was high. Nevertheless, we collected primary, reliable data. At that moment, there were many assessments in the public space, but very few of them were based on real samples. We believe that this was an important contribution to the overall work of the state and the Ukrainian people in overcoming the consequences of the disaster.In Nikopol, together with local authorities, we installed a pump that allowed for the restoration of water supply. The city is shelled daily, but thanks to this pump, most of the population has regained access to water. This was a truly heroic step by local specialists. Of course, we also conducted assessments of the destruction, an analysis of the condition of settlements, and the extent of damage to buildings. But, in my opinion, the aforementioned measures had the greatest effect.UN News Service: And what are the long-term environmental consequences of this disaster, and how does UNDP plan to combat them?Roman Shakhmatenko: We will only see the long-term consequences in the future. The loss of biodiversity, the death of aquatic organisms and other species that cannot be restored – this has already been recorded. At least six mammal species are endangered due to the war and the dam’s destruction. The restoration of groundwater and the microclimate is estimated to take at least three decades. This is a task for decades to come, and Ukraine will have to deal with it long after the war ends.The infrastructural consequences are also enormous. Non-functioning or destroyed irrigation systems affect both the environmental situation and agriculture. Therefore, I believe that Ukraine faces a unique challenge that will need to be prioritized in the post-war period. UN News Service: Can you tell us about what you have seen in the affected areas?Roman Shakhmatenko: We recently visited one of the communities to which we delivered a water purification unit. These stations are autonomous – they operate on solar energy and provide clean water. There is also a water tanker on site. The station was installed in a local school. Every day at a certain time, people come for water, and the water tanker travels to nearby villages. This has become an important part of the community's daily life. And this was made possible thanks to the support of the European Union. People living in extremely difficult conditions have gained access to basic necessities. This, in my opinion, is an important example of how international partnerships truly help on the ground.The audio version of the interview is available here. Source: UN news., filtered_html

Liudmyla and Valerii never imagined they would spend their 70s far from home. For decades, they lived in Lysychansk in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine – in their apartment filled with memories. Then, on 24 February 2022, the world as they knew it collapsed.As drones and missiles relentlessly swirled over the city on a daily basis, the house was shaking and the windows trembling. The couple took shelter in their building’s basement every day. “There was no electricity, no water supply, no gas. Absolutely nothing. There was no way to contact our relatives. We stood in long queues to get bread while the missiles were flying over our heads and the sounds of gunfire rattled the city,” Liudmyla recalls.She was the first to leave. Exhausted and distressed, she no longer had the strength to run to the basement every time the air sirens went off, and she joined their neighbors who had room in their car to seek safety elsewhere in the country. Valerii stayed behind with their cat, hoping to protect their home. They both believed that the fighting would be over in two or three weeks, so that Liudmyla would soon be able to return. But only few days later, the war literally came blasting through the flat. A mine blast completely blew out the wall, badly injuring Valerii’s arm. “I don’t know how I survived. I remember the fog. Everything was flying around, dust, glass everywhere. I was falling. Somehow, I woke up,” he says. Within hours, he was evacuated to Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, for emergency surgery. A few days later, he was transferred to Dnipro for further treatment. By sheer coincidence – or perhaps fate – Liudmyla had earlier been brought to the same city, and when she found out, she rushed to the hospital. The couple was together again. Fleeing war often means leaving everything behind — not just homes, but also the legal documents that are essential for accessing rights and support. Displaced people like Liudmyla and Valerii lose their IDs, property papers, and medical records while fleeing in a rush. Others need help applying for compensation for destroyed homes, obtaining disability certificates or accessing other services or support. Without legal assistance, navigating these complex processes can be overwhelming in times of crisis and trauma. With support from donors like the People of Japan, UNHCR and its NGO partners provide legal assistance to internally displaced and war-affected people in Ukraine. In Valerii’s case, he received help in obtaining a disability certificate and getting recognized as a war survivor, along with access to social benefits. The family also received cash assistance from UNHCR, that allowed them to buy medicine, warm clothing and shoes.“With the help we received, Valerii’s pension was increased by 30%. This allows us to pay for utilities in the collective site, where we live. We need medicine, and now we have money to buy it. It is really important for us,” said Liudmyla. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, UNHCR, together with its partners, has provided over half a million legal counselling sessions to people, helping them to restore lost or damaged documents and obtain proof of property ownership to facilitate their access to administrative and social services and benefits, including compensation for damaged and destroyed housing.The war took everything from them — their home, their stability, their former lives. But it also revealed the kindness of people they met. “We want peace,” Liudmyla says. “We want to go home. We want everyone to be alive and safe. That’s the most important thing.” , filtered_html

War changes lives in an instant. In Ukraine, each day brings new injuries and hardships for civilians and veterans. Many suffer life-altering trauma, particularly limb loss, that leaves not only physical scars but also emotional and economic challenges.Since the onset of the conflict, thousands of Ukrainians have faced long and difficult paths of recovery, highlighting the urgent need for accessible rehabilitation, assistive technologies and economic reintegration. The United Nations is working to support those affected, restoring not just mobility, but independence, dignity and hope.Among those whose lives have been transformed is 23-year-old Oleh Bruchkovskyi, a veteran from Lviv who lost a leg while serving near Bakhmut.“I sat down on the logs to rest, and at that moment, there was an explosion next to my leg," Oleh recalls. "My comrades rushed to help, following first-aid protocol. The evacuation took about ten minutes. I was quickly taken to the nearest hospital and from there to Dnipro." Oleh grew up like any other child, fascinated with computers and later educated as an electrician. In early 2022, two months before the war started, he signed a military contract. "I was just 20 years old," he recalls. "A wounded soldier’s dream is an amputation like mine," Oleh jokes. "A 'harmless' amputation – below the knee – because with such an amputation, you can still do a lot. I was lucky enough."Oleh is one of the veterans who received a 3D-printed prosthesis at the Halychyna Rehabilitation Centre as part of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) led project "Emergency assistance for 3D-printed prosthetics and job creation in Ukraine," funded by the Government and people of Japan.Through this initiative, UNIDO is helping Ukrainian prosthetics producers manufacture high-quality, customized prosthetics using cutting-edge 3D-printing technology. This process significantly reduces costs, production time and weight, making prosthetics more accessible and effective."Everything happened quickly for me – I received my prosthesis in just two to three months," Oleh says. "Some guys wait six to eight months due to the manual work involved and the shortage of prosthetists."In collaboration with a Japanese startup specializing in 3D-printed prosthetics, UNIDO is introducing digital modelling and AI-driven design techniques. This innovation enhances precision, speeds up production and reduces costs.So far, ten Ukrainian prosthetists have completed specialized training in digital prosthetics production and thirty veterans like Oleh have already received 3D-printed prosthetics through the project, restoring mobility and independence. "When I returned from the hospital, I was walking with crutches, but now with the prosthesis, I sometimes forget that I lost part of my leg," Oleh shares.Recently, Oleh took a major step forward when he climbed 400 steps at Lviv City Hall to propose to his girlfriend. "I didn’t know the stairs there were so steep, but my mom was already waiting to record it all on camera, and my comrade, who provided me first aid during the injury, brought 101 roses. The girlfriend said 'Yes!' Then, we were congratulated from the City Hall loudspeakers."Despite the uncertainty ahead, Oleh remains hopeful and determined. "What are my future plans? I’m not entirely sure. Most of us spent two or three years at war. We never truly experienced life. But I still have a hunger for it,” he stresses. "Thanks to this prosthesis and your work, I can move forward and live fully.”The human cost of war is devastating, but stories like Oleh’s demonstrate not only suffering but also hope for recovery and a new life after injury. Support from international organizations and cooperation with partner countries are crucial for the rehabilitation and social integration of veterans.This initiative is part of the UNIDO green industrial recovery programme for Ukraine (2024-2028), ensuring sustainable recovery efforts that empower those most affected by the war., filtered_html

Russia’s continuing full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues to devastate civilian lives and infrastructure, causing large-scale displacement and destruction.With attacks in the eastern, southern and northeastern frontline regions intensifying, April saw the highest number of civilians killed in Ukraine since last September.As the UN marks Protection of Civilians Week, UN News’s Nargiz Shekinskaya spoke to Andrea De Dominico, head of the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) in Ukraine and began by asking him what the biggest concerns are.Listen here: Ukrainian civilians in dire need of more humanitarian support  , filtered_html