With the Russian invasion holding control over most of the Kherson region since February 2022, a devastating explosion at a major hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine is poised to unleash widespread flooding in dozens of nearby towns and cities.
Despite recently being reclaimed by Ukrainian forces, the city of Kherson itself is expected to bear the brunt of the deluge. Disturbing videos shared on social media depict the collapsed Kakhovka dam and the swift rise of water engulfing surrounding islands.
The Dnipro River hydroelectric dam has long been a target of concern, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces eyeing it as a potential strategic objective. In October, amid Moscow’s warning that Ukraine might destroy the dam to flood vast areas and regain territory, Russian forces safeguarded the facility.
Authorities have commenced evacuations in flood-prone areas as the worst of the flooding is predicted to occur on Tuesday. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced early Tuesday morning that no casualties had been reported as a result of the dam’s collapse.
President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately called for an emergency meeting after the dam explosion, which could hinder Ukrainian efforts to reclaim territory in the southern regions, according to Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council.
In October, President Zelensky had warned of an impending “terrorist attack” at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, alleging that Russian terrorists had rigged the dam with explosives.
The international community must now act swiftly and decisively to prevent a fresh terrorist strike orchestrated by Russia. Zelensky emphasized the catastrophic consequences that would result from the dam’s destruction.
The mayor of Nova Kakhovka, which has been under Russian control since February 2022, informed the Russian state media agency TASS on Monday night that the dam had collapsed the previous night due to earlier damage sustained from attacks. He stated that evacuating the city itself was unnecessary.
TASS reported that the mayor described the destruction of the valves at the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station as a “grave act of terrorism.”
Russian blogger Yury Podolyak, known for his extensive following on Telegram, claims that his research indicates the dam’s collapse was not a deliberate act but rather a consequence of the weight of water and damage sustained during wartime.
The imminent flooding not only poses a threat to downstream cities and villages but also to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, which relies on the Dnieper River for cooling.
This dramatic development in the war comes as Ukrainian forces prepare to launch a counteroffensive against Russia in an attempt to regain lost territory. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has emphasized that their plans favor secrecy, meaning the counteroffensive may commence without prior warning, eschewing any pre-show hype.