Kakhovka Dam destruction inflicted US$14 billion damage and loss on Ukraine: Government of Ukraine–UN report
17 October 2023
17 October 2023, KYIV – The destruction of the Kakhovka dam inflicted almost US$14 billion in loss and damage on Ukraine, compounding the already disastrous impacts of Russia’s full-scale invasion, according to a new report released by the Government of Ukraine and the United Nations. The initial estimate for total recovery and reconstruction needs is $5.04 billion, and this figure is expected to grow as more detailed assessments are carried out. In the short term, $1.82 billion is required for recovery efforts in the 2023/2024 period.
The new Post Disaster Needs Assessment lays bare the scale of the 6 June 2023 tragedy, which wreaked economic and environmental havoc in areas downstream from the Kakhovka dam and hydropower plant on the Dnipro River, as well as upstream areas losing access to water supply.
The Kakhovka dam breach caused massive damage, submerging 620 square kilometres of territory in four oblasts—Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia—impacting 100,000 residents directly. It severely damaged housing, infrastructure, the environment, and cultural sites such as historic buildings, museums, and places of worship.
In addition, it disrupted energy supplies, drinking water, agricultural irrigation, and river transport in southern Ukraine.
According to this comprehensive report, direct damage to infrastructure and assets amounted to US$2.79 billion, while losses exceeded US$11 billion, with the lasting environmental impact being the biggest concern. The direct damage to infrastructure and assets was highest in the energy and housing sectors.
The report estimates that total recovery and reconstruction needs are US$5.04 billion, of which US$1.82 billion will be required in the immediate- to short-term.
This assessment will undergo further refinement during the forthcoming round of the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment carried out by the Government of Ukraine, the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Union.
Note to editors:
The Post Disaster Needs Assessment was prepared jointly by the United Nations and teams from the Government of Ukraine, led by the Ministry of the Economy, with inputs by the World Bank Group and the European Union. The UN entities that contributed to the report comprise the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The full report is available here: https://ukraine.un.org/en/248860-post-disaster-needs-assessment-report-kakhovka-dam-disaster
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