On the night of Tuesday, June 6, the Russian occupiers blew up the dam at the Kakhovsky HPP.
This threatens the stable operation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, the lack of drinking water supply in the southern Kherson region and Crimea, and can also destroy a number of ecosystems, reports the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak in Telegram.
He said that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, called an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.
Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson OVA, said that the evacuation of people has begun in the region. After all, in 5 hours the water level will reach a critical mark.
"The destruction of the Kakhovskaya HPP is a terrorist act on the part of Russia, which bears full responsibility for this. The destruction of the HPP threatens an ecological catastrophe for the South of our state. The world must respond. Immediately. But not just with words, but with actions. Russia must immediately get out of the ZNPP in order to avoid further catastrophe," said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
He added that in addition to the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, a meeting of the State Commission on technogenic and environmental safety and emergency situations will also be held.
Shmygal stressed that there is a threat of flooding for 80 settlements. For people, among other things, they launched evacuation trains to Nikolaev.
The head of the Kherson OVA Alexander Prokudin said that the evacuation of people began in the region. After all, after 5 hours the water level will reach a critical mark.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs noted that they will take care of alerting and evacuating the civilian population from the existing flood zones on the right bank of the Dnipro River, namely: the villages of Mykolaivka, Olhivka, Lviv, Tyaginka, Poniativka, Ivanivka, Tokarivka, Poniativka, Prydniprovske, Sadove, and partially the city of Kherson – Korabel Island.
The message added that people have the danger zone must:
- turn off all electrical appliances;
- take documents and essential items;
- take care of loved ones and pets;
- follow the instructions of drivers and police officers.
"Remember: the enemy is trying to spread misinformation, to remove responsibility for another crime. Therefore, use information only from official sources of Ukraine," the Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized.
PrJSC Ukrhydroenergo announced that an engine room was blown up at the Kakhovskaya HPP. The station cannot be restored.
The press service of NAEC Energoatom noted that the undermining of the Kakhovskaya HPP may have negative consequences for the ZNPP, but the situation is currently under control. The water level in the Kakhov reservoir is rapidly decreasing, which is an additional threat to the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP.
The message explained that water from the Kakhovsky reservoir is necessary for the station to receive power for the turbine capacitors and safety systems of the ZNPP. Currently, the station cooling pond is full. So, as of 8:00 a.m., the water level is 16.6 meters, which is enough for the needs of the station.
A video of the flooding of the Kazkova Dibrova zoo in Nova Kakhovka also appeared on the Internet. All the animals died.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Ruslan Strilets, stated that the damage by the occupiers to the dam of the Kakhovskaya HPP threatens the operation of the cooling systems of the Zaporizhzhya NPP and affects global food security.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, in February 2023, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal called on international partners to put pressure on Russia to close the floodgates and restore hydrotechnical structures at the Kakhovskaya HPP.
