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Paper short abstract

After the 2023 Kakhovka HES destruction, debates on the Dnipro wetlands mobilize historical narratives framing them as symbolic and nationally significant landscapes, which are evolving into environmental narratives advocating conservation, protection, and ecological recovery.

Paper long abstract

The destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station in June 2023 during the Russo-Ukrainian war resulted not only in human losses and ecological devastation but also revived historical debates about the construction of the Kakhovka Reservoir in the 1950s, which submerged vast areas of the Dnipro wetlands (plavni). Now, as the reservoir has drained and we witness a remarkable revival of wetland ecosystems, those debates have been supplemented by new discussions about the future of this landscape. Within these discussions, Ukrainian society is divided into two opposing groups: one argues for rebuilding the reservoir to support the postwar economy, while the other insists that restoring the hydroconstruction would once again flood the wetlands, which were not merely sources of economic livelihood but have long been integral to the cultural fabric and national identity of Ukrainians. This paper argues that current debates over the future of the Dnipro wetlands mobilize historical narratives that frame them as symbolic and nationally significant landscape. I suggest that such historical narratives, which emphasize the wetlands as an integral part of Ukrainian national identity, are gradually evolving into environmental narratives that call for conservation, environmental protection, and ecological recovery of the Dnipro wetlands.