The Nova Kakhovka Dam Collapse as an Example of Russia’s Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine: A Threat to Environmental Security and Beyond?

Abstract

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine. On June 6, 2023, the Russian army blew up the Nova Kakhovka dam causing an ecological catastrophe that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as “ecocide” and addressed the international community to help to hold those responsible accountable for this monstrous crime. The main goal of this article is to explore the long-term results of the Kakhovka dam tragedy, which had an unmatched negative effect on environmental security in Ukraine, but is it limited only to ecology? Hypothesis in this paper states that the Kakhovka dam collapse caused a long-time negative impact on a number of non military security dimensions. The present article is divided into three parts. The first one presents the Russia-Ukraine war as a background, the next section explains reasons of the dam’s destruction and its short-term outcomes, whereas the final part analyzes the impact of the dam collapse on environmental security, as well as revises hypothesis by providing a list of its long term effects transcending the scope of environmental security. The study proves that the long lasting consequences of the Kakhovka dam collapse in Ukraine are not restricted to environmental security, but also apply to economic security, food security, energy security and even cultural security. In the conclusion, the author shares her opinion on the topic and policy recommendations. Methodology of this research is mostly based on a desk review of journalist English- and Ukrainian taught articles, several scientific elaborations, expert interviews and official information from the President Zelenskyy website. Since the Kakhovka dam collapse is a relatively recent event, the current research includes only a limited number of scientific elaborations.