Official: Ukraine not responsible for Kakhovka explosion, 'Russia's claims are nonsense.'

National Security and Defense Council chief Oleksii Danilov said that Ukraine had nothing to do with the explosion at the Kakhovka dam, Ukrinform reported[1] on June 6. All Russia's claims about Ukraine's involvement are nonsense, he added. "(Russians) are suffocating with anger because they cannot solve the issue through military means.

That is why they are inventing various nonsense without any grounds," Danilov said. The official pointed out that at the time of the explosion, the dam was under complete Russian control. According to Danilov, Russia prepared plans for the sabotage[2] already in the fall of 2022.

The Kremlin decided to execute them now in order to hinder Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive, he added. Ukraine's Southern Operational Command reported[3] early in the morning of June 6 that Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka dam, causing massive flooding of villages downstream of the Dnipro River. Evacuation of civilians is underway[4], with 1,300 people transported by 3 p.m. local time.

The Russia-installed proxy in Nova Kakhovka first denied that the dam was destroyed, only to claim later that it was targeted by Ukrainian shelling. Earlier today, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized[5] the international media for treating Ukraine's and Russia's statements about the explosion on the same level. "Infuriating to see some media report 'Kyiv and Moscow accusing each other' of ruining the Kakhovka dam.

It puts facts and propaganda on equal footing. Ukraine is facing a huge humanitarian and environmental crisis. Ignoring this fact means playing Russia's 'not all obvious' game," Kuleba said.

What are the consequences of the Kakhovka dam's demolition?

The destruction of the Kakhovka dam can lead to serious humanitarian, ecological, economic, military, and legal consequences. The demolition was carried out by Russian forces in southern Ukraine in the early hours of June 6. And it's among the most dramatic violations of the Geneva Conventions in...

News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent.

He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He also volunteers as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukrainer. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

References

1. ^ reported (www.ukrinform.ua)
2. ^ prepared plans for the sabotage (kyivindependent.com)
3. ^ reported (kyivindependent.com)
4. ^ underway (kyivindependent.com)
5. ^ criticized (kyivindependent.com)
6. ^ What are the consequences of the Kakhovka dam's demolition?The destruction of the Kakhovka dam can lead to serious humanitarian, ecological, economic, military, and legal consequences.

   The demolition was carried out by Russian forces in southern Ukraine in the early hours of June 6.

   And it's among the most dramatic violations of the Geneva Conventions in... (kyivindependent.com)