In the balmy days of June, calamity struck Southern Ukraine when the Kakhovka dam buckled, releasing an unrelenting torrent of water that razed homes, crops and molded the landscape into a vast, waterlogged wasteland, mutating it into the parched terrain it is today. Svitlana Kridiner, a denizen of these parts herself and a successful dairy farmer, was confronted by the impending disaster with unbelievable stoicism.
News of the dam’s impending collapse reached Krdiner with a dreadful inevitability. With the water’s encroachment but a matter of time, Kridiner packed her belongings quickly, herding her cows, canines, and ducklings, and brought necessary equipment along. Everything else was regrettably abandoned.
Kridiner, a profound agrarian, and her husband, Vasyl, dedicated their entire existence to the care of their bovine herd, raising each from just calves. They were relentless in protecting them, even as their once-thriving farm submerged under six meters of water in less than five hours.
Making do in a landscape still shadowed by the specter of frontline battles, Kridiner pointed out a disturbing landmark, a rocket lodged in one of her hay meadows — a grim reminder of the past and the dangers that still lurk. Kridiner’s land too, like much of the flood-ravaged areas, is polluted with loose ammunition. Despite the Ukrainian government’s paltry attempts at compensation for her losses, Kridiner remained seemingly unperturbed.
Another possessor of such unyielding optimism was Vadym Sheremet, a farmer from the nearby village. Forced to rebuild from scratch after his meticulously nurtured crops were decimated, Vadym finds comfort in the warm memories of family within the ruins of his home.
The effects of the dam disaster were far-reaching and astronomical, characterized by experts as “one of the biggest human-caused disasters of our time.” Thousands of hectares of land are now unsuitable for farming for years to come, while estimated damages soar into billions.
Amidst the wreckage and uncertainty, there is an enduring strength among Ukrainian farmers like Kridiner and Sheremet, who refuse to be defeated by adversity. Life post-calamity is a struggle, but they remain hopeful and unyielding in their determination to rebuild their land and lives.
Heartbreak struck Sheremet’s family again when his son, Ivan was victim to an unexploded ordnance, underlining the continued danger in these beleaguered lands. Yet, Sheremet remains undeterred, vowing to honor his son by pushing forward.
“We are good people who deserve to live in a peaceful and flourishing Ukraine,” says Sheremet, echoing a sentiment echoed throughout the ravaged landscapes of Southern Ukraine. Amid the devastation and despair, there exists a palpable determination to reclaim the peace and prosperity they once knew.
