Russian invading troops blew up the Kakhovka Reservoir dam. The destruction of the dam unleashed huge floods of water, threatening towns and villages on the Dnipro River.
The video shows that the dam and the hydroelectric power plant’s machinery have been completely destroyed. The water is moving in a large flow and very fast, Ukrainian media reported. Ukrainian military blamed Russian invaders for the terrible incident.
After the explosion of Kakhovka dam, evacuation began
The head of the Kherson regional administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said that the evacuation of the local population from dangerous areas is underway. People are being evacuated from communities in the area, with fears that this flooding could be catastrophic.
The police noted that the villages of Mykolayivka, Olhivka, Lovo, Tyahynka, Ponyativka, Ivanivka, Tokarivka, Prydniprovske, Sadove and part of the city of Kherson – Korabel Island – are in the potential flood zone on the right bank of the Dnipro River.
Where is the Kakhovka Reservoir dam?
The Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant is located in the town of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine’s Kherson region, which is under Russian occupation. Russian invaders captured the area and the power plant in first days of the invasion in February 2014.
The Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was built in the Soviet era and is one of six dams that are located along the Dnipro river. The river stretches from the very north of Ukraine into the Black sea in the south.
The Kakhovka Reservoir dam is huge and holds water equal to the Great Salt Lake in the US state of Utah, according to Reuters.
Zelenskyy convenes an emergency meeting of the National Security and Defense Council due to the explosion of Kakhovka HPP
Due to the emergency situation caused by the Russians’ blowing up of the Kakhovka Reservoir dam, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is convening an emergency meeting of the National Security and Defense Council. This was announced by NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov.
“By destroying the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam, Russian terrorists are only confirming for the whole world that they must be driven out of every corner of Ukrainian land. Not a single meter should be left to them because they use every meter for terror. Only Ukraine’s victory will return security. And this victory will come. The terrorists will not be able to stop Ukraine with water, missiles or anything else”.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine
Destruction of high-risk facilities is a violation of the laws of war
The Ukrainian government once again emphasizes that the Russian invaders are war criminals and terrorists. The destruction of high-risk facilities is a violation of the laws of war.
According to Ukrainian military, the Kakhovka dam was blown up by the 1st battalion of the 205th motorized rifle brigade. This brigade is under the command of the Russian colonel Eduard Shandura.
The Russian invaders are afraid of the expected Ukrainian offensive and are destroying everything behind them. This looks like a crazy act of desperation, as it will only harm the local civilian population and the environment and will not change anything on the battlefield.
Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant is beyond repair
The power supply was cut off in the Korabel neighbourhood in Kherson due to flooding caused by the invaders’ explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.
The Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant is beyond repair. Ukrainian national operator, Ukrhydroenergo, reported that the engine room was blown up from the inside.
