The Nova Kakhovka dam was attacked by Putin June 6, 2023, causing widespread flooding which triggered and ecological disaster.
April 30, 2024
Op-ed by Naweed Kawusi, EOPA Program Director, Fmr. Director of Veterans’ Affairs, Fmr. Director of International Cooperation, Ret. ANDSF Colonel, Afghanistan.
Water insecurity has emerged as a pressing issue in Ukraine, exacerbated by a combination of factors including the climate crisis, inefficient water management practices, and geopolitical tensions. Seventy five percent of the water supplied to consumers is taken from surface sources – rivers.
Ukraine’s water resources have long been a vital asset for agricultural production, industrial development, and energy generation. However, changing climatic patterns, pollution, and mismanagement have led to declining water levels in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across the country. This has had devastating consequences for communities reliant on agriculture and industry, worsening poverty, food insecurity, and economic instability.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine the country had already been grappling with dwindling water resources. Against this backdrop of water insecurity, Putin has cynically exploited Ukraine’s vulnerability to advance his own geopolitical agenda. He seized upon this his opportunity to exert control and leverage over the country.
Putin hopes his calculated exploitation of Ukraine’s water insecurity will give him a long-term strategic war advantage. It has already put 1.4 million people in direct danger of no access to clean drinking water.
Moreover, the conflict in eastern Ukraine has further exacerbated water insecurity, with critical infrastructure such as water treatment plants and irrigation systems damaged or destroyed by hostilities.
A prime example of Putin using weaponizing water happened on June 6, 2023 when the Russian military destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station by blowing up the engine room, which caused the station to go underwater in a matter of hours. The power went out and the dam was destroyed. The Nova Kakhovka dam held back the amount of water equal to that of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, which was unleashed downstream along the Dnipro river, flooding dozens of towns.
Millions of Ukrainians now face acute water shortages, and a staggering humanitarian crisis, as efforts to rebuild and stabilize conflict-affected regions continue to be undermined.
By leveraging control over key water resources, including the Crimea Peninsula and the Donbas region, Putin seeks to exert pressure on the Ukrainian government and undermine its sovereignty.
In Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, Putin’s regime has seized control of vital water infrastructure, including the North Crimean Canal, which supplied water to agricultural lands in the region. By cutting off water supplies to Crimea, Russia has inflicted severe economic hardship on the peninsula’s population, helping to isolate it from the rest of Ukraine and reinforce Moscow’s grip on the territory.
Similarly, in the Donbas region, which has been the epicenter of ongoing conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists, water infrastructure has been deliberately targeted and disrupted. This has not only exacerbated humanitarian crises for civilians caught in the crossfire, but has also served as a tool of coercion and control by Russian forces, seeking to destabilize Ukraine and undermine its government.
Putin’s exploitation of water insecurity in Ukraine extends beyond direct military tactics to include economic and diplomatic maneuvers. Russia has sought to influence international water management agreements and negotiations, using this chess advantage to extract concessions from Ukraine and other neighboring countries. By weaponizing water as a tool of coercion and manipulation, Putin seeks to assert Russia’s dominance in the region, and weaken Ukraine’s resolve to resist Russian aggression.
The impacts of Putin’s hydropolitics on Ukraine are far-reaching and multifaceted, with consequences that span economic, social, and political realms. Economically, water insecurity threatens to undermine agricultural productivity, exacerbate food shortages, and hampers economic growth and development. Socially, water scarcity worsens poverty, makes tensions flair between communities, which undercuts social cohesion and stability. Politically, Putin’s manipulation of water resources undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It perpetuates conflicts and hinders efforts to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation.
Moreover, Putin’s exploitation of water insecurity in Ukraine sets a dangerous precedent for other vulnerable countries facing similar challenges. By weaponizing water as a tool of coercion and control, Putin sends a chilling message to the international community about the potential consequences of water insecurity and the vulnerabilities it can create. This underscores the urgent need for concerted international action to address water scarcity, and ensure that access to water remains a fundamental human right.
Water insecurity poses a grave threat to Ukraine’s stability, security, and sovereignty. Putin’s cynical exploitation of this vulnerability for his own strategic advantage represents a dangerous escalation of hydropolitics in the region, with far-reaching implications for peace, stability, and human rights.
As Ukraine continues to grapple with water insecurity, the international community must stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and support efforts to address this pressing issue. Only through collective action and cooperation can we ensure that water remains a source of life and prosperity, rather than a tool of coercion and control.