Ukraine's only state sturgeon farm submerged by floodwaters
As a result of Russians demolishing the Kakhovka HPP in Kherson region, the only state sturgeon plant in Ukraine was completely flooded, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reports. The scale of the destruction and the amount of damage are being established.
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"This is a direct threat to the further reproduction of sturgeon fish populations, which may lead to the disappearance of these relict species in the reservoirs of our state," the report said.
Every year, the plant provided housing for more than 1.5 million specimens of young sturgeons.
Given the special protection status of sturgeon species, the destruction of the sturgeon farm will have extremely negative consequences for the ecological state of Ukraine and the countries of the Black Sea basin, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Early on tuesday, the Russian occupiers blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, and evacuation was announced.
The Ukrhydroenergo company stated that the Kakhovka HPP was completely destroyed after the explosion and cannot be restored.
As a result of the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP, losses to the fishing industry from the death of only adults may reach 95,000 tons or about UAH 4 billion ($108 million).
Overall, according to preliminary calculations, damages from the loss of all biological resources will amount to UAH 10.5 billion ($284 million).