| Destruction of the Kozarovychi Dam | |
|---|---|
| Part of theBattle of Moshchun during theRussian invasion of Ukraine | |
.jpg) The destroyed dam on theIrpin River in the village of Kozarovichi | |
 Interactive map of Destruction of the Kozarovychi Dam | |
| Location | 50°44′39″N30°22′06″E / 50.74417°N 30.36833°E /50.74417; 30.36833 Kozarovychi,Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine |
| Date | 26 February 2022 |
| Target | Disruption of Russian advances |
Attack type | Dam breaching |
| Perpetrators | Armed Forces of Ukraine |
The destruction of the Kozarovychi Dam, which separated the reclaimed floodplain of theIrpin River from theKyiv Reservoir, was carried out by theArmed Forces of Ukraine on February 26, 2022, in order to prevent the advance ofRussian troops duringRussia's invasion of Ukraine. As a result, more than 2,800 hectares of land were flooded, as well as residential areas in the villages ofKozarovychi [uk] andDemydiv.[1][2]
The Kyiv Reservoir was created during the construction of theKyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant in the 1960s. To protect the lands in the floodplain of the Irpin River from flooding, the 1.4 km long Kozarovychi Dam was built, separating the floodplain from the reservoir, in addition to apumping station that pumps river water into the reservoir. As a result, the water level in the reservoir was three meters higher than in the floodplain of the river.[2]
There were many issues with the destruction of at the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. First of all, the technical implementation of its destruction was regarded as an effective act of suicide due to the regular shelling of the territory of the dam and the pumping station by enemy artillery from Russian troops who had already arrived nearby. Secondly, the correct calculation of the power of the explosion and the scale of the impact was extremely important for achieving the intended goals without dying. With a strong explosion, there was a threat that a huge mass of water from the Kyiv Reservoir could sweep away the villages along the Irpin river, which would cause great destruction and human casualties. In addition, due to local residents already being cut off from any logistics, it was extremely important to blow up the dam only partially, so that it was possible to enter and leave nearby villages. However, this was not possible with Ukraine's military equipment. The dam had to be blown up twice, as the first time was unsuccessful.[3]
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According toThe New York Times, artificial flooding played a key role in the fighting nearKyiv in March 2022. The spilled water created an effective barrier for tanks, forcing the Russian troops to advance from other directions — in the area ofHostomel,Bucha, andIrpin, where they were forced into urban combat. Attempts by Russian troops to cross the Irpin River by placing pontoon bridges proved unsuccessful.[1]
As reported by theMinister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of UkraineRuslan Strilets, the amount of damage caused by flooding amounted 27.5 millionhryvnias. There was also fears about the ecological consequences of what happened, because landfills, cesspools, and fields treated with organic fertilizers became part of the flooded zone.[2][4]
Russian troops retreated from Kyiv in April 2022, but as of November 2022, the flooding had not been eliminated, while work was underway to restore the dam. Some ecologists suggested preserving the floodplain in a completely or partially flooded and swampy state.[2][5]
TheRepublic of Korea announced that it would help restore the Kozarovychi Dam. The cost of the works was estimated at US$14 million. Two Korean companies will help in the restoration:K-Water andKOICA.[6]
The Washington Post described the destruction of the dam as an example of "hydraulic warfare" — the deliberate flooding of territory during armed conflict.[7]
