Storm separates Dzharylhach Island from mainland, washing away Russian occupiers' embankment

Ulyana Guz

The recent storm in the Black Sea on November 27 caused Dzharylhach Island, located in the Kherson region, to once again become detached from the mainland. Despite attempts by the Russians to block the crossing with sand, the island was still able to separate.

The Center for Journalistic Investigations announced this on Facebook.

"Due to bad weather, the island of Dzharylhach is the largest island of the Black Sea, on which in the spring of 2023, the Russian occupiers covered the crossing with sand, connecting it with the occupied part of the Kherson region, and set up a military training ground on it, which is currently separated from the mainland again," the messages read.

Photo: Center for Journalistic Investigations

According to data from the Sentinel-2 satellite from November 30, 2023, the sea washed away the spit that connects the island to the mainland in three places.

^{Photo: Center for Journalistic Investigations}

"Thus, the Russian occupiers once again lost the opportunity to reach the island," the post reads.

It should be noted that the Russian invaders set up a military training ground on Dzharylhach Island and connected the island to the mainland.

For reference:

It should be noted that in the summer, the General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces reported that the Russians had created a man-made spit that connects Dzharylhach Island with the mainland. The message read that the invaders covered the crossing to the island with sand in the area of the village of Lazurne.

The General Staff also explained that the occupiers did this to more actively use the Ukrainian reserve for military purposes and set up an army training ground on the island.

Is there a way to artificially connect the island and turn it into a peninsula? Previous satellite images show that the gap has appeared and disappeared in different years, well before Russian troops arrived in the Kherson region. Rubryka consulted experts to understand the situation with Dzharylhach Island.

Read more in Rubryka's material: "Are the Russians destroying Dzharylhak National Nature Park?"