Ukraine says more than 123,552 acres of forest flooded following Kakhovka dam blast

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine said Tuesday that more than 50,000 hectares (123,552 acres) of forested area was flooded following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam earlier this month.

“Grease and oil stains weighing at least 150 tons are drifting along the Dnieper (River). They can reach the Mediterranean (Sea). More than 50.000 hectares of Ukrainian forests have been flooded and at least half of them (trees) will die. This is more than the area of forests in Iceland,” the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram.

Yermak said the Kakhovka Reservoir is covered with dead fish, which he said amounts to approximately 95,000 tons of living biological resources.

He also said more than 150 official cases have been recorded of the bodies of dolphins from Ukrainian shores found on the shores of the Black Sea in Türkiye and Bulgaria.

“It is possible that the current will bring roe deer, foxes and hares from the southern region of Ukraine to these countries. About 20,000 wild animals lived on the flooded territory,” he said, adding that there should be “strict responsibility for ecocide” for Russia.

Ukraine and Russia traded blame for carrying out strikes June 6 which led to the destruction of the walls of the Kakhovka dam, resulting in flooding of nearby areas.​​​​​​​