Statement by the delegation of Ukraine 
at the United Nations Security Council Arria Formula Meeting “Freshwater Resources and Related Infrastructure under Attack: Protecting Water in Armed Conflict – Protecting Civilian Lives”

(23 May 2025)

Mr. Chair,

Ukraine thanks Slovenia for convening this timely and highly relevant meeting.

Today’s topic deserves the full attention of this Council. Attacks on freshwater resources and infrastructure have become a devastating feature of armed conflict – threatening the lives of civilians, particularly women, children, and persons with disabilities. When pipelines are bombed, pumping stations are disabled, and water sources contaminated, water becomes both a casualty and a weapon of war.

Ukraine speaks from painful and ongoing experience. As we continue to defend ourselves against the full-scale aggression by the Russian Federation, we have witnessed deliberate and systematic targeting of critical civilian infrastructure – not only residential buildings, schools, and hospitals, but also essential water facilities and freshwater systems.

One of the most shocking examples was the deliberate destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam in June 2023. This terrorist act committed by Russian military forces in our territory, triggered massive flooding in southern Ukraine, displacing thousands of civilians, destroying homes, and devastating ecosystems. Before the attack, the Kakhovka Reservoir contained approximately 18 cubic kilometers of freshwater – an essential resource for the population, agriculture, and biodiversity in the region. Over 70% of this water was lost due to the dam’s destruction, causing long-term ecological degradation and the collapse of water supply systems for large communities.

More broadly, one of the most severe impacts of the war has been the intentional destruction of water management facilities across my country. To date, more than 744 such facilities have been damaged or destroyed. These include drinking water supply systems, wastewater treatment plants, and irrigation networks. This destruction has severely compromised the ability to manage water resources safely and effectively, leading to acute water shortages, pollution, and a breakdown of sanitation services – all of which have compounded the humanitarian crisis in war-affected regions.

These acts are clear violations of international humanitarian law and must not be tolerated.

Ukraine strongly supports all efforts aimed at strengthening the protection of water-related infrastructure during armed conflict. We stand ready to share our experience in mitigating the consequences of such attacks and in supporting affected civilian populations.

I thank you.