The Nova Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Kherson was damaged by bombings, according to Russian press agencies, which claim that the attack was carried out by Ukrainians, writes Reuters. The dam, located on the Dnipro River, where Ukrainian forces have achieved success, has taken on vital strategic importance in recent weeks.
The Russian state news agency TASS, citing a representative of the emergency services, said that a missile launched by the American HIMARS system hit the dam’s lock and caused damage, Reuters also noted.
Russian military expert Vladyslav Shurygin, in a commentary on the Govorit Moscow radio station, said that the attack on the HPP dam, a key point for the future access of Ukrainian troops to Kherson, means that Kyiv will launch an offensive against the city, the only capital of the region captured by Kherson. Russians since the beginning of the war.
Recently, Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of plans to destroy the dam with explosives, which would flood much of the downstream area and likely cause significant destruction in the city of Kherson.
On October 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated at a meeting of the European Council that he had information that Russia would prepare an attack under a false flag by undermining the Novaya Kakhovka dam, speaking of a possible “disaster of historic scale”:
- “Russia is deliberately preparing the ground for a large-scale disaster in the south of Ukraine. We have information that Russian terrorists have mined the Kakhovskaya HPP dam and generators.”
According to Zelenskyi, the dam holds about 18 million cubic meters of water, and if it were to explode, it would quickly flood 80 settlements, including Kherson:
- “Hundreds of thousands of people may be affected. The water supply of a large part of the south of the country may be destroyed. Zaporizhzhia NPP may not have enough water for cooling systems. Even the operation of the canal that feeds Crimea, which I tell the Russians that I care about, will be compromised “.
James Springer is a renowned author and opinion writer, known for his bold and thought-provoking articles on a wide range of topics. He currently works as a writer at 247 news reel, where he uses his unique voice and sharp wit to offer fresh perspectives on current events. His articles are widely read and shared and has earned him a reputation as a talented and insightful writer.