The Explosion of Kakhovka HPP: How a Family from an Occupied Village Escaped on a Styrofoam Raft
The story of the couple Halyna and Vitalii Pytomets, who were forced to escape after the explosion of Kakhovka HPP, became the basis of the play by playwright Oksana Hrytsenko titled 'The Water Carries Halia'. The premiere of this play took place on January 23, 2026, at the Kyiv Drama Theater named after Vitalii Malakhov.
Halyna and Vitalii Pytomets lived in the village of Kardashynka in Kherson region, which was located in the temporarily occupied left bank. In June 2023, after the explosion of the Kakhovka HPP dam, the family was forced to leave their home. The water was rising very quickly, and the couple initially tried to escape to the attic and then to the summer kitchen. At night, their house started to fall, and Halyna Pytomets began to make a raft from Styrofoam, ropes, and wire. On the raft, along with Vitalii, were:
- water
- bread
- canned goods
- documents
- medications
The raft was carried to another area where the couple spent the night on the roof of one of the houses. In the morning, they were rescued by a boat with a motor heading to Kherson. Halyna Pytomets shared her feelings:
“We made it to the morning. Then I hear – some kind of boat. They took us. The boat had a motor, but the current was very strong. I asked: 'Where are we sailing?' They said: 'To Kherson'. God, it was happiness! I had never felt such happiness before.”
As of now, Halyna and Vitalii Pytomets are living in Poland, where they have been for a year and a half. Their rescue story has become an important part of Ukrainian theatrical art, and the play 'The Water Carries Halia' serves as a testament to the tragic events experienced by thousands during the war. The explosion of Kakhovka HPP, carried out by Russian occupation forces on June 6, was a disaster that affected the lives of many Ukrainians.
This story highlights not only the individual experiences of the Pytomets family but also the broader consequences of human tragedies caused by war. The play 'The Water Carries Halia' not only reflects a personal story but also serves as a reminder of the importance of memory and art in reflecting historical events. The explosion of Kakhovka HPP has become a symbol of the destruction that will affect generations and continues to provoke societal resonance in Ukraine and beyond.