Losses from animal deaths in Kherson Oblast estimated at US$24 million

The blowing up of the Kakhovka dam could lead to massive wildlife deaths: the Russians committed the crime during the breeding season.

Damage from the deaths of animals is estimated at over 883 million hryvnias [approximately US$24 million – ed.], but these figures are not final.

The approximate estimates were made by the State Ecological Inspectorate of Ukraine, according to Ruslan Strilets, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.

"During war, wild animals suffer no less than people. Those who managed to escape during the disaster are left homeless.

The Russians committed a crime during the season of mass breeding. Many animals did not have time to be born, but are already deprived of a chance to live," Strilets said.

Horses, fallow deer, deer, wild boars, roe deer, muskrats, beavers, foxes, hares and birds could have died from the Russians' explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. 

"Wings do not guarantee birds survival after this disaster. Those who miraculously survived are forced to leave their habitat, look for a new place and adapt to new conditions," Strilets added.

Russia's blowing up of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant has put 30% of the Kherson Oblast’s nature reserve fund at risk.

In total, the estimated amount of environmental damage caused by the tragedy is already over 55 billion hryvnias [approximately US$1.5 billion - ed.].

In particular, the Russian occupying forces have caused more than 46 billion hryvnias [approximately US$1.2 billion - ed.] worth of damage to the Nyzhniodniprovskyi National Park.

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