Environmental effects of the Kakhovka Dam destruction by warfare in Ukraine

• DOI: 10.1126/science.adn8655
• Publication Date: 2025-03-13T18:00:47Z
• Authors: O. Shumilova; A. Sukhodolov; N. Osadcha; A. Oreshchenko; G. Constantinescu; S. Afanasyev; M. Koken; V. Osadchyi; B. Rhoads; K. Tockner; M. T. Monaghan; B. Schröder; J. Nabyvanets; C. Wolter; O. Lietytska; J. van de Koppel; N. Magas; S. C. Jähnig; V. Lakisova; G. Trokhymenko; M. Venohr; V. Komorin; S. Stepanenko; V. Khilchevskyi; S. Domisch; M. Blettler; P. Gleick; L. De Meester; H.-P. Grossart

The use of water as a weapon in highly industrialized areas the Russo-Ukrainian war has resulted catastrophic economic and environmental damages. We analyze effects caused by military destruction Kakhovka Dam. link field, remote sensing, modeling data to demarcate disaster’s spatial-temporal scales outline trends reestablishment damaged ecosystems. Although media attention focused on immediate impacts flooding society, politics, economy, our results show that toxic contamination within newly exposed sediments former reservoir bed poses largely overlooked long-term threat freshwater, estuarine, marine continued may lead even greater risks for people environment.