The Ukrainian military has raised concerns about potential flooding downstream and has alerted residents along the Dnipro River to evacuate.
While Ukraine's military blames Russian forces for the dam's destruction, the Russian-installed official in Nova Kakhovka claims it was the result of Ukrainian shelling. Ukrainian officials believe that Russia destroyed the dam in a panicked response to slow down Ukraine's counteroffensive, with severe consequences already unfolding.
The destruction of the dam is seen as an attempt by the "terrorists" to hinder the offensive actions of the Ukrainian armed forces, according to Mykhaylo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office. The consequences are expected to be catastrophic, leading to the destruction of settlements and extensive damage to the environment.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces' southern command is currently assessing the scale of the destruction, while the military administration for the Kherson region has urged people in villages along the right bank of the Dnipro River to prepare for evacuation due to the anticipated flooding.
In response to the attack on the dam, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy convened an emergency meeting of the national security council. Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of destroying the dam and emphasized the need to expel them from Ukrainian territory.
“Russian terrorists. The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam only confirms for the whole world that they must be expelled from every corner of Ukrainian land. Not a single meter should be left to them, because they use every meter for terror. It’s only Ukraine's victory that will return security. And this victory will come. The terrorists will not be able to stop Ukraine with water, missiles or anything else,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter.
“All services are working. I have convened the National Security and Defense Council. Please spread official and verified information only,” he added.
The Kakhovka Dam, also known as the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, is a major dam located on the Dnipro River in Ukraine. It is situated near the city of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine. The dam serves multiple purposes, including hydroelectric power generation, water supply, irrigation, and flood control.
The Kakhovka Dam was constructed in the 1950s as part of the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station complex. It has a length of about 13 kilometers (8 miles) and a maximum height of 53 meters (174 feet). The dam forms a reservoir known as the Kakhovka Reservoir, which has a total storage capacity of about 2.6 billion cubic meters of water.
The destruction of the dam can lead to severe flooding, disrupt power generation, and have detrimental environmental consequences. (ILKHA)