The southern Ukraine’s Dnipro River has experienced significant damage to a critical dam on the front line of the Russia-Ukraine war. It is unclear who is responsible for the destruction of the dam, but Ukraine has started evacuating thousands of residents living near the downstream area, as floodwaters are expected to reach dangerous levels. The Kakhovka dam and the power plant in the southern Kherson region have been damaged several times in the past years, with the Russian military seizing control of the dam in 2022. The Ukrainian hydropower company, Ukrhydroenergo, has said that the explosion inside the engine room was the cause of destruction. The damage severely affects the safety of the surrounding communities, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and other vital services such as drinking water, agriculture, and the ecosystem. More than 16,000 people are at risk in the critical zone on the Ukrainian-controlled right bank of the Dnipro River. Both Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the destruction of the dam, with Ukraine blaming Russian troops for the damage, while the Russian-appointed mayor of Nova Kakhovka suggesting that shelling was the cause.
