When Ukraine It had attacked at various points on the Donbas front. and speculated about half the world The beginning of the long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive to hasten the end of the war, The collapse of the Nova Kakhovka damLocated on the Dnieper River as it passes through Kherson province (south of the country), the conflict changes the landscape. The disaster is huge: thousands of people must be evacuated and There are fears for the Zaporizhia nuclear power plantIt is the largest in Europe, as water from the collapsed dam is required to power the plant’s turbines and safety systems. The International Atomic Energy Agency argues that there is no danger at the moment.-. The catastrophe with major environmental consequences for Ukraine’s counteroffensive is still under investigation. Kiev immediately blames Moscow, while the Kremlin accuses Ukrainians of blowing up infrastructure.
Overcoming charges and evacuating thousands
Ukraine and Russia blame each other explosion that destroyed one of the dams Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station. Ukrainian military officials condemned the blow up by Russian forces of a dam in the southern Kherson province, on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, earlier this Tuesday. Emergency evacuation of at least 16,000 civilians Those living in the “critical zone” are most exposed to flooding. The figure does not include residents of the Russian-controlled area on the east bank of the Dnieper River. Russia, on the other hand, draws attention to the absence of night attacks and claims that the dam “collapsed”.
According to several videos posted by Ukrainian authorities’ accounts on social networks, the devastation has begun to cause the first flooding in towns in the region. Around 15:00 local time, 1,300 people evacuated from flood zones in Kherson region. They joined 900 people who were relocated to other places in Russian-occupied areas after Moscow’s mayor Vladimir Leontiev, imposed on Nova Kakhovka, declared a state of emergency and evacuated three districts near the dam.
The flood will also damage the irrigation systems in the region and seriously into food production., as condemned by the Ukrainian presidency, which speaks of global consequences. Southern Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain exporters, is known for its intensive agricultural production. Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said that “world’s worst man-made disaster in recent years”. As a result of the collapse of the hydroelectric power station, about 150 tons of hydraulic oil spilled into the Dnieper River.
How does it affect the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant?
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), “no immediate risk to nuclear security “The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is aware of reports of damage to the Kakhovka dam (located in the Russian-occupied territory of the Kherson region),” the UN body responsible for monitoring the dam said in a tweet. nuclear technology Dam damage caused the water level in the reservoir used to cool the nuclear power plant to drop at a rate of 5 centimeters per hour.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the IAEA, said in a statement that the water level in the reservoir was “about 16.4 meters at 8:00 am” and “If it falls below 12.7 meters, it will no longer be possible to pump.”. However, “there are several alternative water sources,” he says.
Ukrainian public company Energoatom warns that the collapse of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station dam could affect the operation of ZNNP, Europe’s largest atomic power plant controlled by Russian forces: “As a result of the explosion, the water level in the Kakhovka dam drops rapidly, posing an additional threat to the temporarily occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.” He also explains that water from the collapsed dam is “necessary for the (nuclear) power plant to receive electricity for its turbines and safety systems.” However, for now, the water level is sufficient to guarantee the normal operation of the plant and the situation is “under control”.
How does it affect counterattack?
The collapse of the dam is in recent military reports from both Ukraine and Russia. The actions of the Ukrainian army that seem to mark the beginning of the expected counteroffensive To liberate the territories occupied by the Russians. Kherson, the site of the dam, was one of the most inhabited of the war fronts due to the difficulty of crossing the Dnieper River, which divided the state in two. However, the floods caused by the collapse of the dam will prevent any offensive movement in that region. Russia will be able to send troops to the Donbass frontswhere the first Ukrainian attacks took place.
Kyiv has already made progress Various settlements of the Donetsk region (especially in Ivanivske and Vasylivka). Although there is no official confirmation from Ukraine whether these attacks were part of the expected large-scale counterattack, experts think it is possible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Minister of Defense recently acknowledged that they approved the offensive plan, as Ukraine launched in-depth attacks against Russian troops. Meanwhile, Russia claims to have repelled a “major offensive” of the enemy in the Donetsk region.
European Commission speaks of a “war crime”
European Council President Charles Michel was “shocked” by the attack on the New Kajovka dam, emphasizing: destruction of civilian infrastructure is “clearly a war crime”. In a statement on his official Twitter account, Michel expressed the shock of 27 people at this “unprecedented attack”, saying “The destruction of civilian infrastructure is clearly a war crime and we will hold Russia and its allies accountable”.
According to European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, the attack “represents a new dimension of Russia’s oppression.” Borrell denies what happened: “Russia’s Desperate Movement”that Moscow “continues its reckless nuclear blackmail, It jeopardizes the safety of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.