Oleksandr Geychenko, president of Odesa Theological Seminary (OTS), sent a prayer request to Mennonite Mission Network and other partner agencies, June 6, soon after the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed. OTS, a Baptist affiliated seminary in Odesa, Ukraine, is an education partner of Mennonite Mission Network.
"At this moment, water is flooding dozens of settlements," Geychenko wrote. "Part of Kherson is under water already. The water supply in several big cities in Ukraine will be disrupted."
The Zaporizhahia nuclear power plant, the biggest atomic plant in Europe, relies on the water from the Kakhovka reservoir to cool its nuclear reactors."
Geychenko wrote that the government has been evacuating people from the affected zones. He estimated that 50,000-600,000 people will be part of a new wave of internally displaced people, who are fleeing due to both the flooding and the lack of water. The Odesa seminary is providing facilities for some of the displaced people.
"Please pray for people to be saved," Geyschenko wrote. "If you can, please, support humanitarian projects in Ukraine.* We trust the Lord to lead us through yet another trial."
*Mission Network is collaborating with Mennonite Central Committee in a joint response to address the needs in Ukraine.
