Kakhovka Dam Destroyed — Mass Flooding and Ecocide

The Russian-controlled Kakhovka Dam on the Dnieper River was breached in the early hours of 6 June 2023, unleashing catastrophic flooding across Kherson Oblast that destroyed entire villages, killed dozens, displaced tens of thousands, and caused what environmental researchers described as an ecological catastrophe across the lower Dnieper basin. Ukraine's security service released an intercepted call between two Russian officers appearing to admit responsibility; independent analysts concluded Russian forces most likely destroyed the dam to hinder Ukraine's planned counter-offensive. The European Parliament formally condemned the destruction as a war crime.