By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja
Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing up the massive Kakhovka dam, which provides water to a large number of civilians, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, and will flood huge territories.
In a statement to earthnewsng.com by RAZOM WE STAND Ukrainian Svitlana Romanko, Director of the Ukrainian organization Razom We Stand, stated that “Destruction of Kakhovka hydro dam, the fifth largest in Ukraine, is a striking violation of Geneva Conventions and one of the heaviest brutal war crimes against the environment, population and clean energy committed by fossil-fuelled Russian terrorists.
“We’ve lost one of the major sources of renewable energy, and production with a capacity of 334.8 MW which cannot be restored,” she said
She further added that “this is what the climate crisis, external fossil fuelled aggression, and energy insecurity look like – severe environmental damage, increased emissions that will likely replace this destroyed capacity, 14 cities flooded, and many thousands displaced.
She maintained that the reaction needed from global powers was speedy deliberate actions to cut purchases of Russian Fossil fuels
In her words “The reaction we need from the US, EU, and G7: move fast and hard on sanction enforcement, close loopholes and cut all purchases of Russian fossil fuels – we need a full and complete embargo, including on fossil gas, LNG and oil products from third countries. Every dollar or euro Russia receives from exports of oil and gas is turned into means of terror for Ukraine, Europe, and the planet and is financing murders and destruction of Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure, while fuelling the climate crisis. Money flows that feed Russia’s aggression have to be cut now.”
Meanwhile, the statement added that the local mayor had defined the event as a “terrorist act”. Also lost is one of the primary sources of clean renewable energy for Ukraine, which has already had roughly half of its energy infrastructure destroyed by Russia.