The spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, responded to Volodymyr Zelensky’s criticisms of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross following the disruption of the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant. She conveyed her message through her telegraph channel. The remark she shared read, “Chupacabra is unhappy.”
On the eve of Zelensky’s statement, he expressed strong disappointment and the belief that the UN and the Red Cross offered too polite a response to the destruction of the Kakhovskaya dam and the flooding that followed. He asserted that representatives from these organizations had not yet reached the area, even though the incident had occurred the previous day.
During the night of June 6, the upper section of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric facility in the Kherson region, near Novaya Kakhovka, suffered catastrophic damage. The disaster led to flooding of numerous settlements, including the cities of Kherson and Nova Kakhovka, among others. The event has prompted strong political reactions and has become a focal point in ongoing regional tensions.
Blame for the dam’s breach has been cast in opposite directions. Both Moscow and Kyiv have pointed fingers at one another, and there is also talk of the possibility that the damage stemmed from preexisting faults. The Ukrhydroenergo company has stated that the station is completely destroyed and cannot be restored, underscoring the scale of the loss and the challenges ahead for water management and regional infrastructure. [Citation: official channels and engineers reporting on the incident]