Drone footage of collapsed dam shows devastation, no evidence to back Russian claims

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Exclusive aerial footage, captured by a drone, unveils the extent of the destruction wrought by the collapse of a dam in Ukraine, which is currently under Russian control. The collapsed dam, along with the flooded neighboring villages, depict a horrifying landscape devoid of any signs supporting Russia’s claim of an external attack.

A team from Big Big News dispatched a drone to survey the aftermath on Wednesday, a day subsequent to the Kakhovka dam’s destruction on the Dnieper River.

Although the majority of the dam structure is now underwater, observable sections of the buildings rising above the torrent display no signs of scorching or shrapnel damage, which would be expected following the bombardment Russia blames on Ukraine.

Counterclaims by Ukraine suggest that the dam was intentionally sabotaged from within by the controlling Russian forces. However, the aerial footage acquired by the Associated Press (AP) only offers a limited perspective, making it challenging to definitively reject any particular narrative. The dam’s structure had already been undermined due to months of Russian disregard, with water erosion visible for weeks.

On the day of the drone survey, the areas around the dam were noticeably deserted. The only discernible signs of life were the distant barks of dogs trapped by the deluge.

The dam’s failure and the subsequent drainage of its reservoir have permanently transformed the downstream landscape, causing a significant shift in the ongoing conflict’s dynamics that has lasted for 15 months.

Images captured by the AP show much of the dam submerged, and two nearby occupied villages, Dnipryany and Korsunka, covered in water up to the rooftops, including a brightly colored church. The rounded outlines of numerous greenhouses were discernable above the water.

Nova Kakhovka, another occupied town close by, was less affected by the flood but similarly abandoned. Its Ferris wheel stood still while water encroached its main thoroughfare.

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
– Russia bombards Ukrainian city hit by dam collapse post-Zelenskyy’s visit
– Dam break flood strands hundreds and deprives thousands of drinking water in Ukraine

Since last October, Ukraine has issued warnings about the hydroelectric dam being compromised by Russian forces and holds them responsible for an explosion leading to a waterlogged wasteland downstream. In contrast, Russia insists that a missile from Ukraine caused the dam’s demise. Experts speculate that the dam’s dilapidated condition could have also triggered its collapse.

There were no identifiable indications of a missile strike on any surviving structures.

The Dnieper River, forming a part of the frontline in the ongoing war, had already been evacuated by many due to the violent conflict. Ukraine controls the western bank, while Russia has charge of the flood-prone eastern side.

Anna Lodygina, a resident who left Nova Kakhovka last fall, mentions that the flood has brought the occupied town to a standstill, with shut markets and scarce electricity and mobile coverage. Following the dam’s failure, the Russian troops inhabiting her family home, located merely 500 meters (yards) from the river, fled. Lodygina was informed by neighbors that her home’s upper floor is now underwater.

Informed by friends and neighbors, she learned that the Russian soldiers retreated without offering assistance to the residents, forcing them to seek refuge farther from the river on their own.

Lodygina reports that the city’s historic region is underwater, leaving its current state uncertain.

On the Ukrainian side, Red Cross workers are overwhelmed with distress calls from people stranded on the other bank, though they can do little to help.

Mykola Tarenenko, chief of the Kherson Red Cross quick response team, says, “Our phone has been ringing off the hook from calls, even though our number isn’t well known. We received at least 30 calls from occupied territories just yesterday. People are begging us to evacuate them since no organized evacuation is in place.”

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