הרב אסמן נמלט מהפגזה באמצע צילום

The collapse of the Khakhova dam in Ukraine's southern region has set off a mass environmental and humanitarian incident as large amounts of water were released down the Dnieper River. Several hundred individuals have been evacuated from the area thus far

Rabbi Moshe Azman, Ukraine's chief Rabbi, began to check the situation in the Jewish communities that were still left in place to see how to help. The Rabbi ordered his staff to organize accommodations for refugees from the disaster area, in the Jewish village of Antoveka on the outskirts of the capital Kyiv.

After talking with community leaders and government officials in the disaster area, Rabbi Azman decided to immediately send a humanitarian aid mission to the area.

Despite the risk involved, because the Russian army is still attacking the area, the delegation arrived in the area this morning and includes a team of doctors who volunteer in the Jewish community, alongside trucks and vehicles loaded with water, food, medicine and clothing. In light of the plight of the animals there, the volunteers also brought rescue equipment for them.

The delegation was also equipped with rubber boats to assist in the rescue efforts and vehicles that can move on water. In addition, the delegation brought water purification equipment to counter the dire shortage caused by the destruction of the dam and the resultant rush to buy bottled water in stores..

During the rescue attempts, the Russian army began firing heavy artillery in the direction of the rescue mission. No injuries were reported.

Rabbi Azman, the chief Rabbi of Ukraine, commented: "We have now arrived with the first emergency mission to the disaster area, in order to see the situation there and see how we can help. I am in contact with the Jewish communities and the local authorities to assist in everything we can to help the poor residents whose world was destroyed by the crimes of the war that Russia has been waging here for over a year. They are also constantly shelling the rescue missions and committing crimes against humanity. I urge every moral country to come and help to prevent the humanitarian crisis we are facing."