Russia destroyed Kakhovka dam ‘in despair,’ Estonian brigadier general says
It was foolish of the Russian occupiers to destroy the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant's dam, and it shows they are “in despair,” commander of the Estonian Volunteer Defense League Brigadier General Riho Ühtegi said on June 7.
There could have been several reasons for such an act of sabotage, which are usually a last resort for criminals in despair – like the Russians, the brigadier general said.
Invading Russian troops may have feared a large Ukrainian counter-offensive, Ühtegi said of the reasons, calling their action "quiet foolish," as he regarded any Ukrainian assault across the Dnipro in Kherson Oblast an unlikely prospect.
The blowing up of the Kakhovka dam in any case shows Russia's great despair and is a war crime, the brigadier general said.
"It's a war crime, albeit one in keeping with the Russian way of acting in the war to date," the Estonian outlet ERR quoted Ühtegi as saying.
Ukraine had expected such a scenario, among others, he added, so it wasn't a surprise for them. The dam was mined by Russian occupiers long ago and this had been reported by the Ukrainian authorities, Ühtegi said.
The Estonian brigadier general also said he believes there might be a lull in the fighting for some time on the frontline.
The Kakhovska Hydroelectric Power Station is completely destroyed, with no possibility of its repair, Ukrainian state hydroelectric company Ukrhydroenergo said. Not all of the dam was destroyed, but it suffered significant damage, the Ukrainian military’s South Operational Command said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia's attack on the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant the largest man-made environmental disaster in Europe in decades.
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence has said that the Russian demolition of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant increases the threat of a nuclear disaster.
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