The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, today issued the following statement on the destruction of the dam of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in Ukraine:
"Canada strongly condemns the destruction of the dam of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in the Kherson region of Ukraine. This will have significant impact on the country's energy infrastructure and the lives of thousands of Ukrainians. It shows once again the catastrophic impacts of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a grave breach of international peace and security.
"Canada shares the international community's concerns, as thousands of Ukrainians were already forced to evacuate the region. The situation could get much worse, as the rising water levels are putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk in 80 settlements so far, including the city of Kherson, aggravating the already dire humanitarian situation in those areas.
"The risks of permanent environmental consequences following this destruction are very real, not only for the people of Ukraine, but for many surrounding areas. With the destruction of the dam, water levels are quickly flooding agricultural lands, which could lead to food insecurity for many communities. Canada is also aware of potential impacts to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as the dropping water levels of the dam could affect access to critical cooling water for its reactors, increasing the risks of a nuclear incident.
"Canada stands with Ukraine and remains ready to continue to provide assistance to Ukrainians. Civilians and critical infrastructures are illegitimate targets of war, and we will ensure that those responsible for this attack and other egregious acts against Ukrainians sovereignty are held accountable for their crimes. We will continue to work with our international partners to protect the people of Ukraine from the oppressive Russian regime."
