Kakhovka reservoir water could carry Russian mines to people's homes
The State Special Transport Service, part of Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, has issued a warning that water released as a result of the damage to the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) and the Kakhovka reservoir could carry Russian mines to flooded settlements.
Source: State Special Transport Service of Ukraine
Details: The State Special Transport Service is investigating the aftermath of the disaster unleashed by Russian forces blowing up the Kakhovka HPP dam, and determining the measures that have to be taken to deal with the consequences of the explosion.
The situation may be complicated by the fact that Russian defensive minefields have been flooded and mines may be carried away by the floods.
Quote: "We are alerting residents of the flooded areas to the heightened threat of explosive devices.
We note that Russia’s actions amount to a war crime, because dams are infrastructure facilities protected by wartime laws and the Geneva Convention."
Background:
- On the morning of 6 June, Ukraine’s Operational Command Pivden (South) reported that Russian occupation forces had blown up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). The dam and the power plant's turbine hall were completely destroyed. The hydroelectric power plant is beyond repair. According to a preliminary forecast, the reservoir is expected to be drained within the next four days.
- Water from the reservoir has begun to flood towns and villages, and evacuations of local residents from dangerous areas have begun. The blowing up of the dam at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant has caused problems with the water supply in the cities of Kryvyi Rih, Marhanets and Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
- Nataliia Humeniuk, head of the press centre of Operational Command Pivden (South), said the Russian invaders lost their nerve while waiting for the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to start, so they blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant hoping to stop it.
- Ukraine's Armed Forces have stated that the Russians’ blowing up of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant will not prevent the Defence Forces from continuing to liberate the occupied territories.
- A week before the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was blown up, the Russian authorities authorised the non-investigation of accidents at high-risk facilities that occurred as a result of "military operations" and terrorist attacks.
- Early reports indicate that the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was blown up by the 205th Separate Cossack Motor Rifle Brigade of the Russian armed forces.
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