Russia and Ukraine Trade Accusations Over Catastrophic Dam Explosion

Russia and Ukraine

Kiev and Moscow exchanged accusations at the United Nations over responsibility for the catastrophic bombing of a dam in Ukraine, while the United States said, on Tuesday, that it was “not sure” of the identity of the responsible party, but ruled out that Ukraine would do so with its people and land.

The 15-member UN Security Council met, on Tuesday, at the request of Russia and Ukraine, after a heavy flow of water following the explosion of a huge dam on the Dnipro River that separates the two countries’ forces in southern Ukraine.

In response to a question if the United States knew the responsible party, Robert Wood, Deputy US Ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters before the council meeting: “We are not sure at all. We hope to have more information in the coming days.”

He added, “But… why would Ukraine do this to its land and people… flood its land and force tens of thousands to leave their homes… this is not logical.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said earlier that the international organization does not have any information from independent sources about how the dam exploded, but described it as “another devastating consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

Many Security Council members also emphasized during the meeting that the crisis would not have happened had it not been for Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February last year.

Russia’s delegate to the Security Council

Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, said on Tuesday that “the Kiev regime committed an unimaginable crime by detonating the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam,” in his speech to the UN Security Council meeting devoted to discussing the crisis.

“On the night of June 6, the Kiev regime committed an unimaginable crime by blowing up the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric station, as a result of which water began to flow uncontrollably into the Dnieper riverbed,” said Nebenzya, who did not provide evidence for his accusations against Ukraine.

The Russian permanent representative to the United Nations indicated that many areas were flooded, adding that “thousands of people need urgent evacuation, and evacuations have already begun.”

“Severe damage has been done to the agricultural sector in the surrounding area and the ecosystem of the Dnieper estuary,” he said.

Nebenzia noted that Russia is deeply perplexed by the attempts of the United Nations Secretariat to evade condemnation of Ukraine’s crimes.

Ambassador of Ukraine: It is impossible to blow up the dam

In a counter-speech by the Russian delegate, Sergey Kislitsya, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, accused Russia of committing “an act of terrorism targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure” but did not present any evidence.

Kislitsia added: “It is practically impossible for us to detonate it from the outside by bombing… The Russian occupiers planted mines in it and detonated it.”

For his part, Martin Griffiths, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the council, “The scale of the disaster will not become fully clear until the coming days.”

“But it is already clear that there will be massive and far-reaching consequences for thousands in southern Ukraine on both sides of the front line in the form of lost homes, food, safe water supplies and livelihoods,” he added.

Earlier, Nebenzia announced, on Tuesday, that the allegations about Russia’s possible involvement in the collapse of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station contradict common sense, noting that Moscow had requested an urgent session in the UN Security Council to discuss this issue.

“Of course not. What is the state of mental health of those who say that?”

Nebenzia asked, “Is it reasonable to carry out an act of sabotage against the station and the dam at a time when the water will go to areas under Russia’s control?”

The Acting Governor of Kherson Province, Vladimir Saldo, who is affiliated with Russia, had stated that the Ukrainian forces had bombed the Kakhovka hydroelectric station with missiles, which led to the flow of water uncontrollably, and the water height in the town of Novaya Kakhovka exceeded 10 meters, and at the present time 14 towns are located in the flood zone, and it is not excluded that about 80 towns will be submerged.

In addition, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Guterres, stated that at least 16,000 people lost their homes as a result of the collapse of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station Dam.

Read also