Jun 6

Jun 6 Kakhovka Dam

Demonstrations, Protest, Public Declarations

“Hey, come look through the window pane,
The bus is comin’, gonna take us to the train
Looks like we’ll be blessed with a little more rain,
4 feet high and risin’

How high’s the water, mama?
Five feet high and risin’
How high’s the water, papa?
Five feet high and risin’”

— Johnny Cash, Five Feet High and Rising, from Songs of Our Soil (1959)

Today the international community learned that the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine had been destroyed, resulting in the release of a torrent of water from an upstream reservoir. The dam was in Russian hands, with the Ukrainians controlling the land to the west and the Russians controlling the land to the east. Both sides immediately claimed that the other had engaged in an act of sabotage.

Neither the U.S. government, nor any media source has assigned blame. If I had to place a bet, I would wager that the Russians are ones who destroyed the dam. Their motive: disrupting the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive, as well as wreaking havoc and more mayhem.

No matter who is at fault, the result is catastrophic. So far there is no published death toll, but thousands have already been rescued from the flood waters, or evacuated from the area. Businesses have been destroyed. Many of the animals that had resided in the Kakhovka Dibrova zoo were died.

The flood waters have destroyed crops, and without irrigation, the farmland could become fallow. There is no immediate risk of a meltdown at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is upstream from the dam, because a separate water reservoir is used to cool the reactors. In several months, however, there could be an issue.

Landmines had been placed in areas that are now flooded. To extent the waters have dislodged those mines, their location is no longer known, which poses risks to rescuers and others working in the flooded areas. In sum, the people of Ukraine are once again subjected to more tragic fallout from the Russian invasion.

When I checked Facebook today, I was not surprised to learn that members of Chicago’s Ukrainian community had scheduled a demonstration for 6:00 PM at Jane Byrne Park—the location of Chicago’s famed Water Tower. The organizers moved quickly—the Facebook post was timestamped 4:54 PM—66 minutes before the schedule start time.

There were 25 people milling about when I arrived just after 6:00 PM. By 6:30 PM, the group had grown to somewhere around 125—I counted, but my effort did not produce an exact number because demonstrators were changing positions as I counted, while others were obscured by people in the front row. Whatever the exact number, I was impressed by the quick mobilization and topical signage.

As usual, there were some short speeches and chants, followed by a march down Michigan Avenue to Millennium Park, where there were a few more speeches. The group then marched back to Jane Byrne Park, sang the Ukrainian National Anthem, and thanked the Chicago Police Department.

Speaking of the police, there were none present in Jane Byrne Park at 6:00 PM, nor along the route to Millenium Park. I suspect that the Ukrainians did not notify the city, which is not surprising given how quickly the news spread and this event came together. On the return trip, I counted 12 bicycle cops, who blocked traffic as the marchers proceeded along Michigan Avenue. I asked one cop whether the police were aware of what was obviously an impromptu demonstration. According to him, “Nope,” but that he indicated that a colleague contacted a supervisor once the demonstrators were spotted. The supervisor ordered the bicycle cops to follow their normal procedures for marches.

As I have suggested, this demonstration did not cover any new ground; there were no politicians on hand—at least I saw none; and the rhetoric and chants were largely the ones I have heard at prior demonstrations. I did learn one new word: ecocide.

Chicago’s Ukrainian community continues to impress despite the absence of spectacle tonight. The organizers brought out an impressive number of people given the short notice; the signage addressed the destruction of the dam; and the rally and march went off without a hitch. Of all the groups who take to Chicago’s streets to exercise their First Amendment rights, the Ukrainians continue to be the most proficient.

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