Ukraine says it categorically denies Russia’s latest accusations of its authorities allegedly preparing to destroy the dams of the Kyiv hydroelectric power station, the Kaniv reservoir, or other infrastructure in order to allegedly blame Russia.
On 12 July, Maria Zakharova, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, claimed that Ukraine was allegedly planning to blow up the dams and then accuse Russia of the attacks.
“There can be no realistic purpose or motive for Ukraine to destroy its own infrastructure or endanger its own people. As for ‘putting the blame on Russia,’ the Russian regime is doing a good job of that with its own war crimes. Russia’s barbaric missile strike on children in Ukraine’s main children’s hospital, Okhmatdyt, speaks for itself,” the Ukrainian ministry emphasized.
Its statement said that Russia is the only reason for such threats to civilians in Ukraine, and if such catastrophes take place, only the aggressor state will be responsible for those actions.
“Moscow’s real purpose in making such statements is to intimidate Ukrainian society and mislead the international community and the media. Russia has demonstrated this strategy many times before accusing others of what it does or plans to do. Russia’s latest fantasies about the Dnipro dams are a reason for the international community to monitor Russia’s actions even more vigilantly,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stressed.
It also recalled that Russia’s occupational forces had already destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station in 2023, which led to numerous civilian casualties and an environmental disaster in Europe. Then, Moscow also attempted to shift the blame on Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, many foreign media outlets then unknowingly played along with Russian propaganda by spreading the news with headlines about Ukraine and Russia allegedly ‘blaming each other,'” said the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
It urged international media not to quote “Russian speakers without additional information about their previous history of lies and not to equate Ukrainian and Russian statements.”
“A professional approach to quoting professional Russian liars is to provide context, not simply paraphrase their words,” its statement concluded.
Read more:
- No, the Kakhovka dam could not have collapsed on its own
- Kakhovka dam breach: Hundreds of Ukrainians drown as Russia prevents evacuation, seals off flooded towns
- Kakhovka dam flood: volunteers continue rescue mission, Russian occupation authorities steal their boats, aid
- Russia’s destruction of Kakhovka dam: five blows to economy, environment of world and Ukraine
- Evidence suggests Russia destroyed Kakhovka dam from within – NYT
- Russian sabotage group blew up Kakhovka dam; it didn’t go as planned, SBU intercept alleges