Dam waters ravage south Ukraine, military expert assesses catastrophic impact
Zhyrokhov said the incident was the most significant man-made catastrophe of the 21st century so far, and said it held uncertain implications for the region.
Read also: Ukraine calls for urgent UN-EU monitoring mission at Kakhovka HPP
For one thing, it will affect military actions in southern Ukraine, he said.
“The dam was the only route through which tanks and military equipment could be transported more or less normally,” he said.
“Additionally, there were reports that massive battles were taking place on the islands downstream, and supposedly the Ukrainian army was planning to carry out a landing there. For the Russians, this meant gaining an active front in Kherson. They decided to impede the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this manner.”
Read also: Threat of Russian attack on Kakhovka HPP: Scenarios and consequences of dam’s destruction
However, the military expert acknowledged that the flooding resulting from the dam explosion would not only impede the Ukrainian offensive but also pose challenges for the Russian defenses.
“The defense in these areas, if Oleshky and a large number of populated areas are flooded, will be a problem for them. But I still don’t understand: they may be able to shift to the second or third line of defense, but what will that achieve? It is still unclear.”
Zhyrokhov also highlighted the severe issues arising from the dam explosion, including the disruption of the water supply to the North Crimean Channel, a primary objective for the Russians in their so-called “special military operation.”
Additionally, the cooling system of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant relied on water from the dam, exacerbating the challenges faced by the region.
“In other words, a tremendous number of problems,” Zhyrokhov warned. “The military component will be in second or third place because humanitarian issues will continue to escalate, and they will escalate within the next few hours.”
During the night of June 6, Russian forces blew up the Kakhovska Hydroelectric Power Station dam, triggering widespread flooding and posing a grave threat to downstream cities and towns along the Dnipro River, Ukrainian authorities say. The floodwaters were expected to peak around noon Kyiv time (GMT+3), prompting the Kherson Oblast Military Adminstration to declare an urgent evacuation.
Read also: Zelenskyy calls environmental devastation in Ukraine ‘ecocide’ by Russian invaders
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the actions of the Russians, stating that their destructive act served as a stark reminder that they must be expelled from every corner of Ukrainian land.
He added that “neither by water, nor by missiles, nor by anything else will the terrorists succeed in stopping Ukraine.”
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