According to the Ukrainian army, Russian troops have blown up the Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled part of the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson. “The extent of the destruction, the rate and volume of the water and likely areas of flooding are currently being clarified,” it said Tuesday. But there were also reports to the contrary.
According to the Russian news agency Ria, the mayor of the city of Nowa Kakhovka contradicted reports that the dam had been blown up. He reported damage from artillery fire. Reports had previously appeared on Russian and Ukrainian social media stating that the dam on the Dnipro River had been destroyed. The reservoir supplies water to the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, as well as to the occupied Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant. Large-scale flooding is feared.
Big losses among Ukrainians just “science fiction”?
Russia had previously reported thwarting another major offensive by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region. As the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Monday evening, eight Leopard main battle tanks and three French wheeled tanks were destroyed. 1,500 Ukrainian soldiers were killed. 109 armored vehicles were also destroyed. The report could not be independently confirmed and Ukraine declined to comment.
Doubts about the information came from the head of the Russian Wagner mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin. He did not consider the alleged number of victims in the ranks of the Ukrainians to be realistic. This would require much more land gain. “That’s why I think it’s just wild and absurd science fiction,” Prigozhin said in a statement on his Telegram channel. Adding up the ministry’s figures, “we’ve already destroyed the entire planet five times,” he added sarcastically. Prigozhin has repeatedly sharply criticized the Russian military leadership, accusing them of incompetence.
Counteroffensive not launched?
Ukraine on Monday rejected Russia’s claim that a counter-offensive had been launched in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy said in his evening video message distributed in Kiev: “Russia will lose this war. The enemy knows that Ukraine will win. You see that.”
In particular, Zelensky praised the advance of Ukrainian troops towards the city of Bakhmut, which Russia had already declared conquered. The results there are the news Ukraine has been waiting for, he said. “We see how hysterically Russia watches every step we take, every position we take.” Yet the power apparatus in Moscow continues to refuse to acknowledge reality. Rather, Russia is trying to deceive the world, circumvent sanctions and produce more weapons.
National air raid alarm
However, the nighttime air raids continued: according to reports, there was another nationwide air raid in Ukraine on Tuesday night. Violent explosions were heard in several districts of the capital Kyiv in the early hours of the morning, Ukrayinska Pravda reported. They came from anti-aircraft missiles, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said via Telegram.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
