Ukraine accuses Russia of destroying major dam near Kherson, warns of widespread flooding

On Tuesday, Ukraine leveled allegations against Russia, claiming that its forces were responsible for the destruction of a vital dam and hydroelectric power station in southern Ukraine, an area under Russian control. As a result, a significant amount of water was discharged from the damaged structure, potentially leading to a widespread flood. In response, the Ukrainian authorities directed hundreds of thousands of downstream residents to evacuate.

Russian authorities retorted, blaming the damage to the Kakhovka dam on Ukrainian military attacks in the disputed zone.

Earlier, Ukrainian authorities had cautioned that the collapse of the Kakhovka dam could release about 18 million cubic meters (or 4.8 billion gallons) of water. This could result in the flooding of Kherson and numerous other downstream areas, putting hundreds of thousands of residents at risk. Additionally, a nearby Russian-controlled nuclear power plant could also be endangered.

Ukraine’s nuclear operator, Energoatom, alerted through a statement on Telegram that the dam’s destruction could impact the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant negatively, although the situation remained manageable for now.

The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) tweeted that their experts were closely observing the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant situation upstream, and there was no immediate nuclear safety risk.

According to the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Working Group, if the dam were to collapse entirely, much of the left bank would be washed away. A drastic fall in the reservoir level could disrupt the nuclear plant’s essential cooling system and dry up the water supply in northern Crimea.

An emergency meeting to manage the crisis was called by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to Ukrainian officials.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry alerted through Telegram that the Kakhovka dam had been destroyed and urged residents in specific areas downstream to prepare for evacuation. This included gathering essential documents and pets, shutting off appliances, and leaving their homes while warning them about potential disinformation.

Vladimir Leontyev, the Russian-installed mayor of Nova Kakhovka, confirmed that multiple strikes on the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant led to the destruction of its valves, leading to uncontrollable downstream water flow from the Kakhovka reservoir.

He referred to the strikes as a “serious terrorist act,” indicating that Moscow-appointed authorities were bracing for the worst, although they stopped short of recommending city residents evacuate.

Ukraine governs five of the six dams on the Dnipro River, a crucial water and power supply source running from the northern border with Belarus to the Black Sea.

A video, allegedly from a monitoring camera overlooking the dam and circulating on social media, seemed to show the dam’s explosion and subsequent breach.

Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, warned in a Telegram video that water could reach “critical levels” within five hours due to “another act of terror” committed by the Russian army.

Energoatom highlighted the importance of the rapidly depleting Kakhovka reservoir for the plant’s turbine condensers and safety systems. They reassured that the station’s cooling pond was currently full and sufficient for the plant’s needs.

Energoatom, in collaboration with the IAEA, pledged to continue monitoring the situation.

Ukraine and Russia have previously accused each other of targeting the dam, with President Zelenskyy predicting in October that Russia would destroy the dam to cause a flood.

There have been ongoing concerns about the water flow in and around the Kakhovka dam among authorities, experts, and residents. Earlier in February, low water levels in the dam had sparked fears of a meltdown at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which relies on water from the Kakhovka reservoir for its cooling systems

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More about Kakhovka Dam Destruction

• Ukraine-Russia Conflict Overview
• Understanding the Dispute Over the Dnipro River
• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
• Importance of Dams in Ukraine
• Potential Environmental Consequences of Dam Destruction