Is Russia trying to block disaster aid after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam? The UN thinks so. The UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine accused the Russians on Sunday of blocking the delivery of aid to victims in areas under her control.
The Kakhovka hydroelectric dam, located in a Russian-controlled zone in the Kherson region, was destroyed on June 6. Hundreds of square kilometers downstream were flooded, forcing the evacuation of thousands of inhabitants and raising fears of a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.
Access denied
On Saturday, authorities in Russian-controlled areas announced that the death toll had risen to 29. The death toll in Ukrainian-controlled areas also rose to 16, with 31 missing, according to Kiev. The two countries accuse each other of blowing up the dam.
“The government of the Russian Federation has so far refused our request for access to these areas temporarily under its military control,” said coordinator Denise Brown in a statement released on Sunday.
International humanitarian law flouted?
“The UN will continue to do everything in its power to reach everyone, including those suffering the consequences of the recent destruction of the dam and who urgently need help to survive, wherever they are,” she added.