“All is well”
Kirill Stremousov told RIA Novosti that holes appeared at the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station site after a clash between Ukrainian forces and the facility, but the dam remained intact and the structure was not destroyed. Vladimir Leontyev, head of the regional administration, confirmed to the agency that the missile strike had been repelled.
“Everything is intact. There were no serious injuries. Minor damage occurred, but nothing critical. All of this is not important,” Stremousov added.
The Kakhovka district administration press service informed TASS that Ukrainian forces fired at least seven shells at the Kakhovka hydroelectric station on Saturday morning.
“There were about seven hits at 05:07 Moscow time. Smoke was seen around the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station; shells hit the area,” the statement said.
Bridge Over the Ingulets
Stremousov also briefed TASS about an attack on a bridge over the Ingulets River in the Kherson region. He claimed that multiple launch rocket systems, including the M142 HIMARS, were employed in the strike.
“The Daryevsky bridge over the Ingulets in the village of Daryevka was struck. Seven projectiles hit the target,” he stated.
The deputy head of the Kherson regional administration noted that air defense in the area had been strengthened to counter all shells launched from HIMARS systems.
Stremousov explained that the bombed bridge did not play a strategic role, as traffic continued across it. He also noted that the Antonovsky bridge was not targeted on Saturday, attributing this to reinforced air defense coverage.
“The Antonovsky bridge was not bombed today. The attackers tried several times, including two days ago, but all twelve missiles were intercepted. They realized air defenses were strong on our side and stopped trying,” the official said.
According to Stremousov, Saturday’s shelling left no casualties.
He also asserted that Ukrainian forces would struggle to control satellite-guided HIMARS missiles, claiming the operations were conducted by American personnel using complex guidance systems. He argued that the United States deploys these weapons with satellites guiding the strikes, while there are no Ukrainian satellites, implying American involvement in ongoing actions and suggesting a belief that the war will persist with such support.
Increased Bombardment
In recent weeks, the Ukrainian military has intensified its bombardment of the Novaya Kakhovka hydroelectric station precinct using HIMARS rockets. A particularly heavy strike occurred on the night of July 12, during which storage facilities containing saltpeter exploded, resulting in casualties and injuries. Local authorities reported damage to at least 400 residential buildings and described substantial destruction within the city.
On July 19, the Antonovsky bridge, the sole crossing of the Dnieper in Kherson, sustained damage from HIMARS fire. On July 20, Ukrainian forces again opened fire on the bridge, with eleven of twelve rockets hitting the target and traffic temporarily halted for trucks. Local authorities characterized this as an attempt to disrupt transport links along the Dnieper.
On July 21, air defenses repelled a missile attack on the Antonovsky bridge, with all twelve HIMARS missiles intercepted. Stremousov later told RIA Novosti that no damage or casualties occurred and that air defenses had effectively blocked the attack.
July 22 brought further assurances from Stremousov that Kherson air defenses had been strengthened and that additional weapons were provided to counter HIMARS missiles. He stated that new units had been introduced to intercept the missiles and that the region would continue to defend key infrastructure against continued strikes.