Reflections on the Destruction of the Nova Kakhovka Dam from an International Law Perspective
Publisher: Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Author(s): Stavros Evdokimos Pantazopoulos
Date: 2023
Topics: Disasters, Governance, Weapons, Waste, and Pollution
Countries: Ukraine
On 6 June 2023, the Nova Kakhovka dam was breached and eventually destroyed. The available evidence suggests that the dam was blown up by Russia, which had placed the dam under its control in the aftermath of the full-scale invasion it launched against Ukraine in February 2022. Nevertheless, the act of destruction cannot be conclusively attributed to either Ukraine or Russia. Against this background, this Policy Brief firstly provides a brief overview of the various categories of environment-related impacts that resulted from the dam’s destruction. Subsequently, it sheds light on the international legal implications that its destruction entail. In this context, it starts by circumscribing the applicable legal framework, placing the emphasis on the pertinent rules of international humanitarian law. It then moves to foreground the various accountability options for the destruction of the dam, relating to both State and individual criminal responsibility.