The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of deliberately sabotaging the Kakhovka Dam in Kherson to distract attention, rejecting accusations that Russia was behind the incident.
"We can confirm that this is deliberate sabotage on the part of Ukraine," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference today, referring to the collapse of the Kakhovka dam in Kherson province. "And one of their purposes is to deprive the Crimean peninsula of water."
According to Peskov, Ukraine also wants to distract attention from the massive counter-offensive operation that Kiev claims to be preparing to carry out, but is faltering.
Asked about accusations from Ukraine that Russia destroyed the Kakhovka Dam, Peskov replied that Moscow "firmly denies this". He warned that the "deliberate act of sabotage by the Ukrainian side has the potential to have very serious consequences for tens of thousands of people in the region".
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in Moscow in December 12. Image: AFP
The Kakhovka Dam on the Dnieper River, in the Russian-controlled area of Kherson Oblast, was partially destroyed after an explosion on June 6. Russia and Ukraine both consider the attack a deliberate attack and blame each other.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called an emergency meeting of the National Security Council. Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of blowing up the Kakhovka dam to prevent Ukrainian forces from crossing the Dnieper River, ahead of a counter-offensive.
The European Union, NATO, and Britain all criticized Russia, saying that Moscow was responsible for the incident.
The image is said to be the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam burst on the morning of June 6. Video: Telegram/RVvoenkor
The Kakhovka Dam, located about 70 km northeast of the Ukrainian city of Kherson, is responsible for storing water of the Dnieper River, serving the hydroelectric power station of the same name, as well as agricultural irrigation and river navigation in Kherson Province.
Since the outbreak of hostilities, Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of conspiring to destroy the Soviet-era dam.
The Kakhovka Reservoir has a capacity of about 18 billion m3, providing cooling water for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the Crimean canal. The Ukrainian and Russian appointed officials in Kherson both said water levels downstream had risen, causing some areas to be flooded.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) insists there is "no immediate safety risk" with the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and its experts are "closely monitoring the situation".
Crimean Governor Sergei Aksyonov said the peninsula was not in danger of water supply or flooding after the dam burst, adding that reservoirs there were 80% full and the North Crimean Canal was holding about 40 million cubic meters of water. Peninsula authorities are implementing efforts to minimize the amount of water escaping the canal.
Location of Kakhovka hydroelectric dam. Graphics: DW
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