World Bank to assess Ukraine dam destruction impact and needs

The World Bank has pledged to support Ukraine in assessing the damage and needs following the destruction of the massive Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric dam. The dam, situated on the front lines between Russian and Ukrainian forces, was destroyed on Tuesday, leading to severe consequences for essential services and the wider environment.

Anna Bjerde, the World Bank’s managing director for operations, expressed her concerns on Twitter, highlighting the seriousness of the situation. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal also took to Twitter, stating that he had discussed the dam’s collapse with Bjerde, who assured him of the World Bank’s commitment to carrying out a swift evaluation of the damage and needs.

As floodwaters rose in the south on Wednesday, Ukrainians were forced to evacuate their homes. Russia and Ukraine have been blaming each other for the disaster. According to Ukraine, the flooding will leave hundreds of thousands of people without drinking water, inundate tens of thousands of hectares of farmland, and render at least 500,000 hectares (1,930 square miles) without irrigation, effectively turning them into “deserts”.

Bjerde revealed that the new damage assessment would build upon the bank’s previous analysis of the destruction to Ukraine’s infrastructure and buildings. The earlier evaluation estimated a staggering US$411bn would be required to rebuild the country’s economy in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion.

The International Monetary Fund also voiced its concerns on Wednesday, stating that it is “very concerned” about the social, economic, and environmental repercussions resulting from the dam’s destruction.