A major hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine has blown up, which will likely cause flooding to dozens of nearby towns and cities, including the Kherson region, the majority of which has been under Russian control since near the beginning of the invasion in February of 2022.
The city of Kherson itself, recently retaken by the Ukrainians late last year, will likely be largely flooded as well. Videos posted to social media of the destroyed Kakhovka dam appear to show some nearby islands already underwater.
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???? ???? ???? Nova Kakhovka Dam on the Dnipro River is destroyed above Kherson and 80 other settlements. pic.twitter.com/Uyyyi4Xezy
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) June 6, 2023
Both Ukrainian and Russian sources have pointed the finger at each other for the destruction, as it remains unclear what advantages and disadvantages the strategically-placed Kakhovka dam offer for both sides.
The hydroelectric dam sits on the Dnipro River and has long been speculated to be a target for either the Russians or Ukrainians, depending on the timing and necessity. In October, Russian troops guarded the plant, with Moscow warning that Ukraine would possibly try to attack the dam in order to flood broad areas in order to retake land.
#Ukraine ????????: this Swedish simulation shows what the flooding of the #Kherson region below the Nova Kachovka dam will likely look like.
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) June 6, 2023
Source: https://t.co/Ey1098e0Cu pic.twitter.com/xFjE1Fi3S8
Populations at risk of flooding are being evacuated as the most severe inundation is expected to take place within the next few hours.
The mayor of Nova Kakhovka, which has been under Russian control since February 2022, told the Russian state media outlet TASS that the dam collapsed due to previous damage inflicted in attacks overnight. He added that the city itself does not need to be evacuated.
“The mayor called the destruction of the valves of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station the most serious act of terrorism,” the outlet wrote.
On the other hand, Yury Podolyak, a Russian blogger with more than 2.7 million subscribers on Telegram, said his information illustrates that the dam was not intentionally destroyed but rather broke under the massive weight of the water and previous damage inflicted as part of the war.
The massive new development in the war comes as Ukraine is expected to launch a counteroffensive at any time against Russia to retake land previously lost. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said the counteroffensive could begin at any time without warning, as “Plans love silence. There will be no announcement of the start.”
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