Western journalists speculate that it might not have been explosion that destroyed dam at hydroelectric power plant

Based on satellite images taken before the dam at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) burst, journalists from leading international media outlets have come to the conclusion that the dam may have collapsed due to previously sustained damage rather than as a result of the explosion. Source: Christopher Miller of The Financial Times; Evan Hill of The Washington Post; Oliver Carroll of The Economist Details: Miller pointed out that satellite images made by Maxar in recent weeks showed recent damage to the Nova Kakhovka dam's sluice gates and a section of roadway running across it.

Satellite images made by @Maxar on June 5 showed recent damage to the Nova Khakova dam's sluice gates and a section of roadway running across it.

Before images (1 and 3) made on May 28. After images (2 and 4) made June 5, around 12:15pm. pic.twitter.com/Qi7dY6M2yM

Advertisement: -- Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 6, 2023

Hill pointed out that shortly before the dam burst, the water level in the Kakhovka Reservoir had reached unprecedented levels. The New York Times said this could have happened because Russia, which controlled the hydroelectric power plant, kept too few floodgates open.

Prior to whatever happened overnight, the Kakhovka Reservoir had reached unprecedentedly high levels.

This was likely due to Russian forces keeping too few gates open, the NYT reported, just months after letting the reservoir sink to historic lows: https://t.co/g9sGjPNTt9 pic.twitter.com/mKuGFakb3M

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-- Evan Hill (@evanhill) June 6, 2023

At the same time, Economist journalist Oliver Carroll reported that eyewitnesses had told the newspaper about a "deafening explosion" that was heard in the early morning in Kakhovka.

Eyewitnesses told us that there was a deafening explosion from #Kakhovka in the early morning, with sky turned to white and windows breaking as far as 80 km away.

-- Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) June 6, 2023

Read also: Flooded South: the consequences of blowing up the Kakhovka dam (in brief)

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