Ukraine: Flooding caused by Kakhovka dam amplifies risks related to the presence of landmines

ROME – The Non Governmental Organization HALO Trust is urging citizens living in areas flooded by the Nova Kakhovka dam to pay attention to landmines. The reclamation works, in fact, were suspended on seven contaminated fields but flooded by the collapse of the structure, which occurred on 6 June. The flow of water that crosses the lower Dnipro River and which was moved by the dam collapse is so powerful that it manages to both displace anti-personnel mines and even detonate them. The NGO works primarily to clear landmines and other explosive devices left over from conflicts; operates in 28 countries around the world with over 10,000 employees.

The emergency. Mike Newton, head of HALO Trust in Ukraine, he explained that the dam collapse caused a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe because the presence of huge quantities of anti-personnel landmines increases the risk for people living or moving in the flooded areas. The exact number of ordnance displaced by the creek is not known until the waters subside. Later, when the security conditions allow it, a mapping and clearing of the whole area will also be necessary.

Mines on river banks. The organization HALO Trust has detected mines along the Inhulets River, a tributary of the Dnipro, since the beginning of this year. The bombs were placed at the lowest points of the waterway to prevent Ukrainian troops from crossing in vehicles while the area was under occupation. After the liberation of Mykolayiv Oblast, people also returned to live along the banks of the Dnipro to cultivate the land and graze their livestock. Landmines were already a problem before the dam broke,” says Jasmine Dann, regional director of HALO – but now the situation has become even more complicated. At the moment the organization is engaged in reclaiming the fields of the Mykolayiv oblast, while to clean up the whole area of ​​the Kakhovka dam it is necessary to wait for the land to dry out and for the water level of the river to drop.

Previous. Moving landmines due to flooding is not a new challenge for organizations like HALO involved in remediation. Flooding of fields contaminated by the presence of war ordnance has also occurred in Mozambique, Sri Lanka and the Republic of Somaliland during its 35-year history. However, when there is flooding of an area where anti-personnel mines are present, two types of problems arise: the water displaces the bombs and scatters them almost everywhere, even at a considerable distance; mines become more difficult to track as they are submerged in soil and debris. For these reasons, even remediation activities require more time.

The specific case of Kakhovka. “In this case we are looking at a huge volume of water in an area with an unprecedented number of land mines,” they explain from HALO Trust. Demining teams have so far found around 5,000 bombs around Mykolayiv, including 464 along the river bank. And this is only a small portion of what will be found in the future along the front line which stretches over 900km.

The future. The NGO will participate in the upcoming Ukraine-focused conference in London on 21-22 June, to ensure that demining activities remain at the top of the priority list. “One cannot talk about the reconstruction of Ukraine without focusing on securing the territory. A country cannot be rebuilt on mined foundations”, concluded da HALO. Since the war broke out in February 2022, the Organization has immediately launched an awareness campaign, in person and on social networks, to alert Ukrainians to the dangers of landmines along the roads, in the fields, in the woods along the river banks.