The Impact of the Dam Collapse on the Ukrainian and Russian-Occupied Ukraine

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Russian-occupied Zaparisha nuclear power plant uses water from reservoir to fill its cooling ponds. Dam collapse crosses both the Ukrainian and Russian held territory. There are estimates that there might be maybe a thousand square kilometres of lake bed exposed once the water level drops. Historically you've got a huge amount of industrial pollution in this lake, which pell back in sediments behind these dams.

Madeleine Finlay speaks to Doug Weir from the Conflict and Environment Observatory about why the collapse of the Kakhovka dam is likely to be so damaging for biodiversity, access to clean water and levels of pollution. He explains why the environment has become such a central part of the narrative and considers what this increased focus could mean for Ukraine’s eventual recovery. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod