The actual number of casualties resulting from the Russians' bombing of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant remains unknown
The actual death toll from the Russian military’s bombing of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant remains unknown, although at least 34 people are known to have died. Three years have passed since the tragedy that flooded dozens of settlements and forced thousands of people to evacuate.
As a result of the bombing of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant on June 6, 2023, by Russian troops, at least 34 people were killed; however, the true scale of the human toll remains unknown, and this figure may be significantly higher due to the complexity of search operations and the consequences of the massive flooding.
This was reported by Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, who emphasized that the tragedy was one of Russia’s most massive war crimes against people and the environment.
According to Kuleba, after the dam was destroyed, the Kakhovka Reservoir was effectively ruined, and the floodwaters inundated about 80 settlements, leaving thousands of people homeless and forcing a large-scale evacuation. “Today marks the third anniversary of the bombing of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant—one of Russia’s gravest war crimes against people and the environment. Three years ago, Russian troops destroyed the dam and the Kakhovka Reservoir. Eighty settlements were flooded, and nearly 4,000 people were evacuated. At least 34 people died, but the actual number of victims remains unknown,” he noted.
In the days following the disaster, rescue workers, police, medical personnel, and volunteers worked around the clock in the region, trying to help people trapped by the floodwaters and minimize the damage.
Hundreds of utility workers from various regions of Ukraine were also involved in the recovery efforts—more than 500 specialists helped restore critical infrastructure, including water supply, energy, and basic living conditions in the affected communities.
Kuleba emphasized that Ukraine continues to remember the tragedy and everyone it affected, and insists that accountability for its consequences is inevitable. “We remember this tragedy and everyone it affected. Russia will certainly be held accountable for this crime against the people, nature, and the future of Ukraine,” the minister stressed. Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba wrote about this on Telegram.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that Russia must be held accountable for the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, which caused a massive environmental and humanitarian disaster in Ukraine. The exact number of victims remains unknown due to the occupation of parts of the territory.
