(Dan Tri) – Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the collapse of the Kakhovka dam in Kherson, which caused serious flooding and could lead to many other serious consequences.
Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya and Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia – from left (Photo: Reuters).
On June 6, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting at the request of both Russia and Ukraine regarding the collapse of the Kakhovka dam in Kherson, southern Ukraine.
At the meeting, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia blamed Ukraine for intentionally breaking the dam to create a `favorable opportunity` for regrouping forces to continue the counterattack.
`The deliberate sabotage carried out by Kiev against a vital infrastructure is extremely dangerous and can essentially be considered a war crime or act of terrorism,` Mr. Nebenzia said.
In response, Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya accused Russia of carrying out a `terrorist act` targeting Ukraine’s key infrastructure.
`Physically, it is impossible to blow up the dam from the outside by shelling. It was the people who were controlling it who detonated it,` Mr. Kyslytsya argued.
Russia took control of the Kakhovka Dam not long after launching a special military operation in Ukraine.
Location of Kakhovka hydroelectric dam (Graphic: Reuters).
Kakhovka Dam is located on the Dnipro River, about 30km east of Kherson city.
The dam supplies water to Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, as well as to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which Moscow took control of last year.
The dam collapse caused serious flooding to residential areas downstream.
Many countries and international leaders expressed deep concern about the dam collapse, warning of the risk of an environmental and ecological disaster.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the agency did not have independent information about the dam collapse, but the incident showed the serious consequences of the Ukraine conflict.
Responding to the question of whether the US has determined which party is responsible for the dam collapse, US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood said: `We are not sure. We hope to have more information.`
Representatives of France and Britain at the United Nations did not directly say they had evidence that Russia was responsible for this tragedy, but called for an investigation to clarify.
Late last year, the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Russia has a greater and clearer interest in flooding the lower Dnipro River, although it also causes damage to the
`Russia can take advantage of the flooding situation to expand the Dnipro River, making it difficult for Ukraine’s counterattack efforts on the already challenging waters,` ISW’s October 2022 report stated.