Russians mined Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant and have been planning a terrorist attack
On October 10, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the dam and aggregates of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (Kakhovka HPP) were mined by Russia. “Russia is deliberately creating the grounds for a large-scale disaster in the south of Ukraine,” said Zelenskyy in his address to the European Council.
On Friday, October 21, the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine also reported that plans to blow up the dam were made in advance: “The main mining work was carried out back in April. On this week, the sluices and pillars of the Kakhov HPP were additionally mined.” Defence Intelligence also reported about two Kamaz trucks without drivers, fully loaded with explosives and placed on the dam.
Ukrainian workers were kicked out of the Kakhovka HPP, and Russians have complete control over the station.
The results of this terrorist attack may be catastrophic. The dam of this hydroelectric power plant holds about 18 million cubic meters of water. More than 80 settlements, including Kherson, will be in the zone of rapid flooding and hundreds of thousands of people may be affected if Russian terrorists blow up the dam.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant may be left without water for cooling as it is taken from the Kakhovka Reservoir. The water supply of a large part of the south of Ukraine may be destroyed, including the canal built to supply water to Crimea.
“The devastating environmental, humanitarian, man-made consequences of this single Russian terrorist attack may become such that it will be called a historical disaster,” Zelenskyy said.
The President of Ukraine also stated that the world must act to prevent Russia’s terrorist attack. An international observation mission to the Kakhovka HPP, the return of the Ukrainian personnel to the station, and professional demining of the aggregates and the dam are necessary.
“We must now all together – all Europeans, all world leaders, all international organizations – make it clear to the terrorist state that such a terrorist attack on the Kakhovka HPP will mean exactly the same as the use of weapons of mass destruction. The consequences for Russia should be corresponding,” Zelenskyy stated.
