Water levels in the Kyiv Sea have dropped sharply; you can now walk to the bunker
The Kyiv Reservoir, also known as the Kyiv Sea, has experienced a sharp drop in water levels. As a result, sections of the riverbed that are usually submerged have become exposed. In particular, it is now possible to walk up to Dota No. 581 in Lyutezh and even touch it.
This was reported by the Telegram channel "Buchansky Insider."
"This structure, as part of the defensive fortifications around Kyiv, was built back in the 1930s. During World War II, the structure was of strategic importance and became the site of battles for the capital," the post states.
As seen in the footage, motorcyclists are riding along the reservoir’s shore and people are walking there.
Reports that the Kyiv Sea was rapidly shrinking, as well as of a massive fish kill, emerged as early as March. At that time, the water level of the Kyiv Sea dropped so significantly that the water receded from the shores by tens of meters.
Yevhen Khlobystov, dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, spoke about this on the "Apostrophe" TV channel.
According to him, the most likely cause of the shallowing is the intensive release of water through the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant to increase electricity production. He emphasized that for the spring period, when high water levels are usually observed, such a phenomenon is not natural, so other factors seem less likely.
"For me, this is the most plausible explanation for why this happened, because it is now March, spring, the high-water season, and there are no other reasons for the water level in the Kyiv Reservoir to drop so catastrophically. Under our current martial law, such enterprises operate under special conditions, and therefore they have every right to withhold or provide only very limited information regarding their operations," he explained.
The incident was documented by representatives of the "Green Guard" environmental patrol and the Kyiv City Environmental Inspection.
According to the activists, such water discharges are particularly dangerous during the pre-spawning and spawning seasons, when fish move into shallow waters to reproduce. If the water recedes sharply from the shore at this time, the spawning grounds are left exposed, leading to mass fish deaths.
The Kyiv Reservoir covers an area of 922 square kilometers. It was created in 1964–1966 in connection with the construction of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant near Vyshhorod and plays a key role in the capital’s water supply, regulating the flow of the Dnipro River, and protecting against floods.
As a reminder, in the Chernihiv region, rescue workers warned of rising water levels on the Desna River.
As a reminder, the Cabinet of Ministers has instructed central government agencies and regional administrations to prepare for possible floods and high water in the spring of 2026. The government anticipates rising water levels and potential flooding and wants to prepare response resources in advance. Relevant ministries are to develop mechanisms to support people and businesses.
Frosts are expected in Kyiv inthe coming nights.
