In our world where the delicate balance of nature sustains life as we know it, looming threats of ecocide has become an increasingly pressing concern. Forged from the Greek word oikos, meaning ‘home’, and the Latin term cadere, meaning ‘to kill’, ecocide describes the destruction of natural environment.
The collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine has ignited fears of a looming ecological disaster. According to CNN, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the situation as “an environmental bomb of mass destruction“. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has led to rising water levels, the displacement of over 1,400 individuals, and a potential threat to critical water supplies as floods submerge surrounding towns.
The Kakhovka Dam was completed in 1956, and located on the majestic Dnieper River, also known as the Dnipro, in Kherson Oblast, this dam served as a source for hydroelectricity, irrigation etc. It was under the control of Russia during this explosion.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office announced its investigation into the incident as a possible war crime, citing ecocide.
