World Bank to Evaluate Ukraine Dam Destruction

The World Bank has pledged to support Ukraine in the aftermath of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, which occurred during clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The bank’s managing director for operations, Anna Bjerde, took to Twitter to express her concern over the “very serious consequences for essential service delivery and the broader environment” resulting from the dam’s collapse. Bjerde also confirmed that the World Bank would conduct a rapid assessment of the damage and needs. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal also spoke with Bjerde and received assurances of support. The floods caused by the dam’s destruction have left many Ukrainians without access to drinking water and could have severe economic and environmental impacts. The World Bank’s new damage assessment will build on previous analyses of Ukraine’s infrastructure and buildings, which estimated that it would cost $411bn to rebuild the country’s economy after Russia’s invasion. The International Monetary Fund has also expressed concern about the disaster’s impact.