Israel to provide aid to Ukrainian dam collapse victims

Israel's Foreign Ministry donated hundreds of thousands of liters of water and over 10 tons of food to the victims of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, the ministry announced on Monday.

"The State of Israel stands by the side of the Ukrainian people," said Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.

"Especially at this difficult time, we are coming to the rescue in order to provide immediate humanitarian aid for the benefit of the citizens affected by the collapse of the dam. I thank the Embassy of Israel in Ukraine and the IDF, the international aid agency of the State of Israel in the Foreign Ministry, for their mobilization for this important mission.

"Israel will continue to help Ukraine and its citizens. We see this as a supreme moral value."

The donated supplies will be delivered through volunteer organizations that work with the Israeli Embassy in Kyiv. The supplies were purchased in Ukraine itself in order to shorten delivery times to those in need and to help the Ukrainian economy.

Thousands displaced by dam collapse

The Nova Kakhovka dam collapsed in an apparent explosion last week, flooding a wide area in the Kherson region, displacing thousands of people and affecting thousands more. Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for the disaster.

Communities on both the Ukrainian and Russian-controlled sides in the flooded areas will face limited access to safe water, the UK Defense Ministry said in a Sunday morning intelligence update. Lack of access to clean water can result in sanitation issues and increased risk of the spread of disease.

Areas impacted by the lack of freshwater include the northern Crimean Peninsula and southern Kherson. The ministry said flooding disrupted the peninsula’s main source of fresh water, the North Crimean Canal.

Michael Starr contributed to this report.