The destruction of Kakhovka hydroelectric dam caused damage to Ukraine worth almost $14 billion, exacerbating the already catastrophic consequences of the full-scale Russian invasion, according to a comprehensive report by the Ukrainian government and the UN.
According to the report, which was presented in Kyiv on Monday, direct damage to infrastructure and assets amounted to $2.79 billion, and the amount of damage exceeds $11 billion. As noted, long-term impact on the environment is the biggest problem, and direct damage to infrastructure and assets were largest in the energy and residential sectors.
The initial estimate of total recovery needs is $5.04 billion, and this figure is expected to rise as more detailed estimates are made. It is indicated that in the short term for restoration activities in 2023 and 2024 some $1.82 billion needed.
The dam break at Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (HPP) flooded 620 square kilometers of territory in four regions – Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia, which affected 100,000 inhabitants. In addition, energy supplies, drinking water supplies, irrigation of agricultural land and river transport in southern Ukraine were disrupted.
The post-disaster needs assessment will be refined as part of the next round of Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) conducted by the Ukrainian government, the UN, the World Bank and the European Union.
The report was prepared jointly by the United Nations and the Ukrainian government team led by the Ministry of Economy, with contributions from the World Bank Group and the European Union. The following UN agencies contributed to the report: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO, UN Environment Programme, Office of the UN High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), World Health Organization, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
