During a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, UN Spokesperson Mr. Stéphane Dujarric announced that nearly 12,000 bottles of water have been distributed to displaced children in Kherson and the city of Mykolaiv following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine. In addition, over 1,700 kits containing essential supplies and 10,000 purification tablets were provided to five municipalities in Kherson and Mykolaiv.
Immediate assistance was also given to 400 individuals with ready-to-eat food shortly after their evacuation. Furthermore, 200 people in the Mykolaiv region are receiving one month’s worth of food aid. Humanitarian organizations are actively supporting authorities in evacuation efforts and coordinating accommodation for those arriving from Kherson in various transit centers. These organizations are also supplying hygiene items and other basic necessities to evacuated individuals seeking shelter in Mykolaiv and Odesa.
To address the needs of children at the Kherson train station, cash support, psychosocial assistance, health services, and recreational activities are being provided. Mr. Dujarric shared information on the operational response by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, five UN agencies, and several NGOs that assessed the situation in Kherson.
The spokesperson expressed concern over the worsening situation as water levels continue to rise, resulting in further flooding of villages and towns. This escalation poses challenges to accessing essential services and significantly increases health risks. Thousands of people rely on the Kakhovka Reservoir for drinking water, which is rapidly depleting. The flooding also poses a threat of water source contamination, further compromising public health.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization highlighted the potential impact on food security due to the destruction of the dam, as vast agricultural land has been flooded, destroying recently planted crops. The irrigation systems in the Dnipro, Kherson, and Zaporizhizia regions have been severely damaged by the dam’s destruction, according to local authorities.
Mr. Dujarric emphasized the ongoing efforts to assist affected communities, addressing their needs and delivering aid promptly. Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths briefed the Security Council members on the situation, describing the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam as one of the most significant incidents of civilian infrastructure damage since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
