Global Courant
A satellite image shows the Nova Khakovka dam – Reuters
A Ukrainian dam has been destroyed in a major blow to the counter-offensive.
The massive Soviet-era dam in the Russian-controlled part of southern Ukraine blew up on Tuesday, sending a tidal wave over the war zone, both Ukrainian and Russian troops said.
Flooding could prevent further Ukrainian advance in the south and jeopardize the safety of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
Both sides blamed each other for destroying the dam.
Videos on social media showed a series of intense explosions around the Kakhovka dam.
Other clips showed water flowing through the remnants of the dam, with bystanders expressing their shock, sometimes in strong language.
6:42 am
Ukrainians told to evacuate
People living near the dam have been told to leave.
Authorities in Kherson predict that the water level will reach a “critical” point in the next five hours.
Thousands of Ukrainian residents had already faced flood risks as water levels in the Dnipro River rose, and Russian troops flooded and demined the fields in recent weeks ahead of Ukraine’s counter-offensive.
6:15 am
Dam explosion would be a blow to a counter-offensive
President Zelensky has previously suggested that Russia would not hesitate to create an environmental catastrophe for the sake of military advantage.
As Ukraine plans its counteroffensive, any flooding like Kherson could complicate plans for attacks in the disputed southern region.
The Kakhovka Dam has long been considered a possible military target.
Think of the damage 18 million cubic meters of water could do as nearby villages and all the remaining 284,000 people who lived in the area before the invasion were inundated.
If the infrastructure is destroyed, all of southern Ukraine could be cut off from its water supply. That includes the water usually supplied to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.
5:56 am
Zelensky to hold emergency meeting
We now hear that Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, is convening security advisers for an emergency meeting.
Story continues
Ukrainians are waking up to the news that a major dam has been damaged overnight. Their government has yet to confirm the extent of the destruction.
5:27 am
Nova Kakhovka dam ‘attacked’
The large Nova Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled parts of southern Ukraine’s Kherson region has been destroyed and the area is flooded, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported Tuesday, citing an unnamed source close to the case state.
TASS quoted the source as saying it was a quiet night and there were no air strikes on the dam at night.
Kiev and Moscow each blame the other side for the damage.
“The Kakhovka (dam) has been blown up by the Russian occupier,” the southern command of the Ukrainian armed forces said on its Facebook page on Tuesday.
“The extent of the devastation, the speed and amount of water, and likely areas of flooding are being clarified.”
Russian news agencies said the dam, controlled by Russian troops, had been destroyed by shelling, while a Russian-installed official said it was a terrorist attack — Russian short for an attack through Ukraine.
5:25 am
Good morning
Follow the live blog on Tuesday for the latest news from Ukraine.
