EU mobilises emergency stockpiles, funding to support crisis response to Kakhovka dam breach
In the wake of the breach of the Nova Kakhovka dam last week and the call for assistance by the Ukrainian authorities, the European Union is mobilising its strategic reserves from the rescEU shelter capacities by deploying three mobile water treatment stations to help the local authorities produce potable water for the affected people, the European Commission said on June 14.
Each water treatment station can produce 120 000 litres of clean water a day and is helping to solve one of the most urgent needs in the area – access to drinking water.
Sixteen European countries – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Sweden – have now offered assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, delivering water tankers, water pumps, boats, rescue equipment, generators, and other in-kind life-saving assistance to the affected areas, the European Commission said.
The EU’s humanitarian partners in Ukraine have redirected their ongoing response to provide life-saving assistance to the affected populations, including drinking water, ready-to-eat food, cash assistance and the distribution of shelter equipment.
To further support humanitarian operations on the ground, the EU has also mobilised an additional 500 000 euro to address the immediate needs resulting from the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
This comes on top of the 200 million euro in humanitarian aid from the EU already allocated in 2023 for Ukraine, the Commission said.
(Screenshot from a video by Ukraine’s military of the aftermath of the Kakhovka dam breach, for which Ukraine blames Russia)
Please support The Sofia Globe’s independent journalism by becoming a subscriber to our page on Patreon: