GUEST BLOG: Ben Morgan – Damn. The Russians blew up the dam!

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The recent destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam has unleashed an ecological disaster and driven tens of thousands of Ukrainians from their homes.   It is an important action that indicates significant issues within the Russian military. For all their denials it is almost certain that the Russian’s blew up the dam.  Any dam is hard to destroy because they are built out of millions of tonnes of reinforced concrete so it takes plenty of effort and know how to ‘knock over’ even a small dam.  And; Nova Kakhovka is an enormous dam held and protected by the Russians. Destroying it would require 100s of tones of explosive, carefully sited and set to detonate in a planned sequence.  It is clearly not a Ukrainian air or missile attack.  Nor is it the work of saboteurs.  

Clearly the Russians blew it up, but what does this tell us about the Russians and how will this action effect the war?

Blowing up the dam has damaged many civilians lives and the local environment; but it will have little impact on Ukrainian operations.  It is highly unlikely that the Ukrainians ever planned to attack across the Dnipro River because it is so wide and deep.  Making an opposed crossing of the Dnipro would be beyond the capabilities of most armies. The Americans or NATO would be the only militaries on earth able to force a crossing of a river this large.  Therefore, it is safe to say that the Ukrainians were not planning to attack on this axis, so flooding the Dnipro delta is not going to stop the Ukrainian offensive.  

Instead, this action speaks of military desperation.  The Nova Kakhovka Dam is the last remaining bridge over the southern section of the Dnipro River.  And; herein lies the military reason the dam has been blown up. The dam’s bridge becomes important if Russia withdraws.  While it existed, the bridge could not be used by Ukraine because it was defended by Russian forces. However, if Russia withdraws and the dam falls into Ukrainian hands then it can be used to cross the river allowing any advance into southern Zaporizihia to be supported from the west. 

Blowing the dam up indicates that the Russians are not confident that they can hold southern Zaporizihia and are getting ready to withdraw into Crimea.  By blowing up the dam they also ‘punish’ the local population of eastern Kherson and southern Zaporizihia who rely on water from the dam to irrigate their fields.   Further, the dam provides a reservoir for the Zaporizihia nuclear powerplant creating the possibility of a nuclear disaster.  I think that this is unlikely to happen though because the reactors are already operating at a very low capacity and plans have been made to manage the plant.  A risk is that Russia blows the plant up; spreading nuclear waste far and wide. However, this seems highly unlikely because it would trigger a significant international response; similar to using nuclear weapons.  A response that would see an immediate and catastrophic escalation for instance; NATO sinking the Black Sea Fleet, imposing a ‘no-fly’ zone or even committing NATO airpower to the campaign in support of Ukraine.  All situations that would immediately end Russia’s chance of success in this war. 

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A question is where the decision was made.  Did a local commander give an instruction to blow up the dam on their own initiative?  Or; was the decision made in the Kremlin?  Retired United States general David Petraeus, speaking on Deutsch’s World today raised the possibility of simple Russian incompetence.  He theorised that the act may not have been a well-thought through and deliberate action; but rather a dumb decision made in the heat of the moment by a relatively junior commander.  Hanlon’s Razor, states that we should not assume maliciousness in an act that could be the product of incompetence.  In this case the situation is hard to judge because Russia has demonstrated plenty of both.

The incompetence versus maliciousness debate is important because it provides insight into the strength of Russian command. If the decision to blow the dam up was not made at the highest levels and was instead made by a panicked junior commander; it tells us that Russia’s chain of command is weak.  That junior commanders are not supported and do not feel safe; so we are likely to see more bad decisions in coming days and weeks.  A situation that does not bode well for Russia’s ability to hold its defensive line.  

In summary, blowing up the Nova Kakhovka dam is almost certain to be a Russian act. Although it has a terrible human and ecological impact its effect on the campaign is likely to be minimal.  Instead, it is more likely to be an indication of Russian weakness and that they are planning to withdraw into Crimea, behind the defensive lines that they have spent months preparing.  An admission that they are unlikely to hold the Crimean Land Corridor and, on their way out so are protecting their western flank by destroying the last large bridge over the Dnipro; and are making the Ukrainian’s suffer for having the temerity to defend their country.  

And; as the Dnipro bursts its banks in the west, far away in the east we are seeing indications of a transition from small attacks by Ukraine designed to ‘close’ the gaps; towards larger probing attacks.  There is movement afoot; and I believe that we will be surprised by Russia’s response. The destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam is an example of an army ready to retreat. So, let’s keep watching and see how the campaign develops.

 

Ben Morgan is a bored Gen Xer and TDBs military blogger

207 COMMENTS

  2. See new Tweets
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    Mikael Valtersson
    @MikaelValterss1
    NEWS UPDATE NOVA KAKHOVKA EVENING JUNE 7
    I don’t know who’s responsible for destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, but if you do what you can to worsen the situation and destroy the remnants of the dam, you’re the prime suspect, not the victim. Ukraine keeps the gates at Dnipro HDD open (video) and the water streams southward. The already undermined remnants of the Novo Kakhovka dam risk to totally collapse from the water pressure and later on, the flooding of Kherson oblast are worsened.

    That’s an clear indication that Ukraine on purpose worsen the situation and are also a clear indication that Ukraine was the original culprit. The fact that the ukrainians also increased the level of water in the reservoir before the destruction of the dam are not an proof of their guilt. They couldn’t know that the russians wouldn’t open the gates of the Novo Kakhovka dam. There could be some natural cause for opening the gates at Dnipro HDD before the destruction of the Novo Kakhovka dam, but afterwards nothing could be more important than to lessen the flooding in Kherson oblast.

    • What a load of bollocks Nick, Third Class Honours, J.
      Nobody knows who did it. It could be Russian incompetence.
      Stick your conspiracy theories where the sun don’t shine Nick J!

  3. You tell a different story to the pictures we see Ben. Russia is in complete control of this war and still they haven’t used the full extent of their military.

    • Charles, Nick et al.

      The Russian federation have committed a vile act of “Ecocide”.
      Apologists for this latest in a long line of Russian atrocities committed against the people of Ukraine by the Russian Federation are the modern Holocaust deniers.

      • Pat no one is denying but facts are facts, Russia is a powerhouse and portraying Ukraine as “winning” is disingenuous at best. We are on the same team Pat.

        • “…Russia is a powerhouse and portraying Ukraine as “winning” is disingenuous at best. We are on the same team Pat.” Charles

          As my late father used to say; “It is not the size of the man in the fight. It is the size of the fight in the man.”

          Russia may be a powerhouse. America is a powerhouse, but the US proved no match for the Vietnamese. Whether this war is long or short, just like the Vietnamese, the Ukrainian people will not stop fighting the invader until they drive them out of their country.

          P.S. You have produced no evidence that you and I are on the same team. Until you do I must consider you to be an apologist for might is right imperialism.

        • No one is denying what Charles? Please specify. There are deniers on this site. Would you like me to mention names? The modern holocaust deniers.

      • Pat, desires and reality are different. You desire to blame Russia for everything. That’s fine go ahead. Reality is different, at some point you will have to face up to your desires and emotions leading you to conclusions at odds with reality.

        • This from NickJ (third class honours) a contrarian conspiracy theorist who is so fond of bandying round meaningless epithets such as ‘neo con’ to smear his enemies. To call Yale historian Timothy Snyder a ‘neo con’ is one of the most brain dead things I have ever heard! You are a joke NickJ – but a nasty one!

          • PhuD, I judge myself and others with the Polonius test. ‘This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.’
            You fail very badly.

    • ‘Russia is in complete control of this war’ according to Charles. Talk about mindless Putinists. Do you honestly believe that Charles?

  4. Charles you sound like Comical Ali with “Russia is in complete control of this war”. Looks like a Russian retreat is underway plus civil unrest in Russia.

  6. Sure. The Russians, once again after the Nordstream 2, are definitely destroying infrastructure they built (and in this case, territory they occupy). It’s not like Ukriane was planning this since December and it was covered in the MSM.
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/29/ukraine-offensive-kharkiv-kherson-donetsk/
    Kovalchuk considered flooding the river. The Ukrainians, he said, even conducted a test strike with a HIMARS launcher on one of the floodgates at the Nova Kakhovka dam, making three holes in the metal to see if the Dnieper’s water could be raised enough to stymie Russian crossings but not flood nearby villages.

    But sure. The Russians totally did it.

  7. Ben why would Russia take out their own fortifications which are along the left bank of the Dneiper River? You also fail to mention that the Ukrainians have been shelling this very dam. There is no benefit to Russia militarily in destroying this dam, just like there was no benefit to them blowing up their own gas pipeline. Suggest you check you sources or read more widely with an open mind.

    • Furthermore – Russia actually published a letter at the UN Security Council in October warning of the risks of this dam being a target following the Ukrainian forces shelling of it (including use if American HIMARS rockets) and concluding they could take this structure down if required. Ukraine did this and any forensic examination of this will prove that.

      • Salacious Crumb – bollocks!
        You have no idea who did this any more than anybody else.
        The SBU claims to have intercepted a conversation between two Russian speakers admitting culpability. Whether this is genuine evidence or not is difficult to say.

    • @SC you are correct. What’s more the latest analysis seems to be that the HIMARS attack from last November damaged the dam and it has been leaking for months before the breach. The superstructure itself is intact for now. This suggests potential misadventure rather than deliberate attack or demolition. While not yet confirmed, more facts will emerge over time, but this is supported by both sides being caught unawares and having to evacuate at short notice.

      Not an endorsement for Russia or NATO (if that needed to be said), but this is a typical article from Ben. Making geopolitical analysis out of a whole cloth of one-sided presumptions. To use the a facade of intellectualism for raising partisan ire rather than encourage informed and clear thinking.

  8. Thanks Ben
    I see they also blew up an ammonia pipeline overnight, poising everything the vicinity.

    As well as the defensive measure you mentioned, I am reminded of a man murdering is ex, along the lines of “If I can’t have her, nobody can”.

    So, to me this is largely about plain old spite.

  9. Hi PhuD, Johan. I said that I would keep the powder dry and not call the result of the “offensive” so I will stick to that. I would point out however that if this was a game of soccer you are 5 goals down so far.

    • Football to you cretin. You’ve obviously never played the game! In the Soviet era the USSR football team drew most of their players from – Ukraine and Georgia. Yes Dynamo Kyiv and Dynamo Tbilisi used to clean up the Russian teams regularly.

  11. According to the Kremlin propaganda mouthpiece RT, the Kakhovka Dam, which was under Russian control, was breached by Ukrainian shelling.

    https://www.rt.com/russia/577570-kakhovka-dam-destruction-explainer/

    The Kakhovka Dam was built during the Cold War by the Soviet Union. It was designed by the Soviet engineers to withstand a nuclear blast. No amount of Ukrainian conventional shelling could have breached the dam in the manner shown in the photos and video.
    From the photos and video the dam has been breached in more than one place, all on the same night and about the same time. That would be some pretty crazy accurate pin point night time artillery fire.

    https://texty.org.ua/fragments/109844/kakhovka-hpp-was-designed-withstand-nuclear-attack-there-no-question-its-self-destruction/

  12. According to Pat and Ovod any news source not pre approved by our honest and moral Governments is “Russian propaganda” Goebbels sends his approval.
    According to Pat and Ovod any comments raising Russian security concerns you support “Imperialism” The British and their 1 Trillion rape of Indian resources sends their approval.
    According to Ovod any comment that doesn’t support his paid talking points you are the “Orc” and you’re the racist.
    According to Ovod he has a PHD, speaks Russian and Ukrainian, was the captain of the University football team and is an expert on Ukraine, the delusional homeless person sends his approval.

    • fingrin, you missed out Ovod scaling Everest and K2 on the same afternoon. He hasn’t claimed it yet, I’m sure he will.

    • I don’t speak Ukrainian although I am learning it. Although my grandmother was born in the Poltava region she was ethnically Russian. Minor nobility actually. She was forced out by the Bolsheviks.

    • “Goebbels sends his approval.
      According to Pat and Ovod any comments raising Russian security concerns you support “Imperialism” The British and their 1 Trillion rape of Indian resources sends their approval.”       fingrinn

      To justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, fingrin cites Goebbels and the rape of 1 Trillion of Indian resources by the British Empire. Like fingrin, the British Empire’s atrocities in India were a big talking point of Goebbels and Hitler. Hitler and Goebbels promising the world that the new multilateral Axis of Germany, Italy and Japan would be a more humane global system than the British Empire global hegemon.

      fingrin makes the same argument as Goebbels and Hitler but for Russian imperialism

  13. This column remains a stain on the reputation of The Daily Blog in my view. The language and jargon (e.g. “shaping”) used is identical to that on the BBC and any number of other pro US/NATO media channels and military fan sites.

    Lets see some proper investigation into this damn busting, not everything can be solved in 24hrs by online armchair generals. It seems that some Russian troops were caught unawares too, and there are now landmines floating around!

    • Thank you, Tiger Mountain. Here on TDB we seem to have 2 sets of equally partisan bigots hurling abuse at each other.
      The best analysis of how the dam went that I have seen goes like this:
      There are 3 possibilities:
      1) Russians did it – and reasons why they might hope to benefit.
      2) Ukrainians did it – and ditto. Both have possible reasons..
      3) The dam failed because it is an old Cold War structure that has not been well-maintained by anybody; it has recently suffered minor damage from shelling, and water levels have recently been excessively high.

      If option 3 turns out to be the case, all the idiots here who made up childish insults to apply those they disagree with are going to have to apply those very insults to themselves.

      The level of debate here is worse than in Parliament!

      • No, both sides are not as bad as the other.
        Position 1 – Ra ra everything Ukraine is golden. Perfectly in line with the umbrella of Western media. This column is always 100% right, 100% proof from any evidence or question to the contrary.

        Position 2 – Any plea for uncertainty and sanity and critical thinking here is declaimed as “Putinist”. Challenge the column, you are a “putinist”.
        Anything that pierces or challenges the selected fabrication of events: Putinist.
        Then people taking the second position get shitty and personal because position 1 is so absolutist.

        • Wrong Paul! Position 2 participants are not critically thinking at all! They are buying into the Russian propaganda gravy train. Being mostly contrarian by nature they pat themselves on the back for being anti-US and it doesn’t matter what an anti-US country does – it must be good. So we see supporters of Iran, Syria, China and Russia/Belarus on this blog.
          I tend to be anti-US under Republican presidents and more pro with Democrats in power. This is a far more nuanced position than many here. I don’t like American pop culture and far prefer Russian music and literature.
          In Tchaikovsky’s opera Пиковая Дама (Queen of Spades) young kids are playing at soldiers in St Petersburg’s летний сад (Summer Garden):
          ‘We are here to defeat the enemies of Russia
          The foe is wicked be on your guard!
          And his designs are criminal
          Flee or surrender! Hurrah!’
          If only Russia’s military had left it at that – playing at soldiers -instead of the murderous escapades they are now engaged in, the world would be a better place.

      • Option 3 is the least likely In Vino. The facts seem to be hardening in favour of some Russian saboteur group blowing the dam although this is not yet proven.

    • Like it or not Tiger Mountain there is a war going on. Ben is a soldier and he naturally uses the jargon. As an historian myself I prefer to wait before a definitive version emerges from the fog of war. Sometimes that can take 50 years or more until the official papers are released so be it.
      We do know, however, that Putin is a murderous thug and those who cannot see that are delusional. Who knows what these people’s agenda is particularly here in New Zealand. Provocateurs, contrarians, conspiracy theorists, racists, propagandists they are all here on this site. Are there any paid posts by Russian troll factories? I rather think there are as some unusual names pop up from time to time.

      • Geezus you must be like …. 90. You probly still think the US “saved us all” in WW2, it was a damn shame they didn’t finish off Charlie, “because we’re the good guys” is enough “historical” rational to ignore all all evidence to the contrary.

        • I also object, In that silly Ovod claims that he is ‘an historian’. Quel poseur! Why would any literate English-speaker put ‘an’ before a word like ‘historian”?
          It is quite correct to put ‘an’ before words like ‘hour’ and ‘heir’, where the letter ‘h’ is actually silent. But only stupid old pedants persist in putting ‘an’ before words that came into English with a silent ‘h’ from French. Like ‘heroic’. But once English speakers started to pronounce the ‘h’ on those words, only stupid old pedants kept putting ‘an’ in front of them, pretending to a linguistic knowledge that they do not have.

          • Because In Vino I consider that ‘a historian’ is an Americanism and I avoid Americanisms if I can. A short ‘a’ sound before historian sounds ugly as does a long ‘a’ before the word which requires a glottal stop. ‘An historian’ flows much better than the alternatives.
            You really are venting your spleen aren’t you? As a representative of Anglo academia I am proud to continue the correct usage. It is not ‘stupid pedantry’ as you term it. If you don’t like it – tough!

      • Provocateurs, contrarians, conspiracy theorists, racists, propagandists…
        You sound like a reactionary nutjob PhuD. Those are terms routinely used by authoritarians when they can’t raise a fact based rational argument.

        • As Charles says, look in the mirror NickJ. At least I don’t post links and praise Swedish neo-Nazis!

          • Swedish neo Nazis?? Prove it.
            PS whilst you are at it prove that there are no neoNazis in Ukraine and no neocons in Washington. And prove you are not aligned to either.

          • You are a bonehead NickJ! You praised to the high heavens Mikael Valtersson( whose name you misspelled by the way) who is chief of staff for the Swedish Democrats, a far right party which has neo-Nazi links. Owen Jones, whose opinion I respect, recently commented that the Swedish Democrats are a particularly nasty party! You are hoisted by your own petard!
            Your propensity to bandy around a meaningless term ‘neo-con’ is the height of stupidity. I challenge you to define ‘neo-con’ but I bet you won’t!

      • Shaping is what we would call Probing in old money, send Fighting Patrols or larger Force Units like Recon in strength/ advance guard at Battalion Group size finding a weak spot in the enemy’s defensive line to allow the main assault group to come up & punch their way forward.

        This is going to be an old school/ old fashion punch up as both sides don’t have Air Superiority of the Battlespace & it’s going come down to which side is more adaptable & flexibility at achieving its opportunity to dominate the Battlespace & ultimately win.
        Remember it took over a mth for the Allies to finally breakout from the beaches after D Day,-
        It took nearly 3wks for the 8th Army to Breakout at the Battle of El Alamain.

        If you want my two bob’s worth on the Dam? The Russians did it!
        Why?

        The Russian Defence System there was actually their weakest out of the entire front, if the Ukrainian Armed Forces did managed to cross Dnipro River & establish Bridgehead before breaking out? It would suit there Armoured, Mech & Motorised Units as its good Tank country & providing the Ukrainian Logistics System held up, they could’ve quite easily been knocking on the back door to the Crimea, with the left flank of the advance turning Nth via 2 land bridges (which is no that wide btw) and in behind the main Russian Defence System the Ukrainians are currently punching through

        Anyway that’s my theory at why the Russians blew the Dam, but also I think they over cooked it as well! In other words used to much bang as it should’ve been a controlled release of water, which means they will eventually screw themselves up in the medium to long term militarily & probably economically as well.

        I’m Ex RNZAC & Ex Airfield Defence in service with another country with 20yrs service from Peacekeeping to Warlike Ops.

    • @TM agreed. The latest, yet to be confirmed, analysis is that the dam was damaged last year by the Ukrainian forces and has been leaking water for months before breaching. The underlying superstructure is intact for now. This could be a callous misadventure rather than deliberate destruction, time will tell, Ben’s blog will not.

    • “Lets see some proper investigation into this damn busting, not everything can be solved in 24hrs by online armchair generals.” Tiger Mountain

      There will be no proper investigation into this dam busting because the Russian authorities will not allow it.
      A week before they blew the dam, the Russian Federation government enacted a law repealing a previous Russian law that all accidents at hazardous sites must be investigated.

      https://news.yahoo.com/russia-decided-accidents-hazardous-facilities-084159995.html

      The document was signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and came into force on the day of its publication, 31 May
      ……
      Quote from the document: “Until 1 January 2028, technical investigations shall not be carried out into accidents at hazardous production facilities and accidents at hydraulic structures that occurred as a result of military operations, sabotage and acts of terrorism.”

      If an anonymous commentator who hides their identity actually has a reputation then with this following comment you have stained yours in my view.

      “This column remains a stain on the reputation of The Daily Blog in my view. Tiger Mountain

  14. The outrageous shelling of Ukrainian rescue efforts by Russian forces and the refusal to rescue civilians under Russian control is completely unacceptable and shows the complete disregard for human rights which is typical of Putin’s army. This is yet another war crime committed by Putin and co.

      • “A question is where the decision was made. Did a local commander give an instruction to blow up the dam on their own initiative? Or; was the decision made in the Kremlin?” Ben Morgan

        The order signed by Prime Minister of the Russian Federation not to allow any investigation of the destruction due to an act of war of “Hydraulic Structures” (read dams), which was enacted only days before they destroyed the dam is proof positive that that the decision to blow up the Karkhova Dam was made at the highest levels in the Kremlin.

        https://news.yahoo.com/russia-decided-accidents-hazardous-facilities-084159995.html

        Russia decided accidents at hazardous facilities would not be investigated shortly before blowing up Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant

        The document was signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and came into force on the day of its publication, 31 May.

        ….

        “Until 1 January 2028, technical investigations shall not be carried out into accidents at hazardous production facilities and accidents at hydraulic structures that occurred as a result of military operations, sabotage and acts of terrorism.”

      • Despite citing zero references, even from Kremlin sources, for their conviction that Ukraine destroyed their own dam. The pained squealing from the pro-Putin quislings can not stop the tide of mounting proof disproving your vile lies and denials of Russian culpability.

  15. Despite the Russians not allowing any international or even Russian investigation into the cause of the dam’s collapse. According to a preliminary untranslated Ukrainian report, cited by Yahoo, the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was blown up by the 205th Motorised Rifle Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and some of the names of those involved are known.

    https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/06/6/7405536/

    • It’s a war zone. We live inside a Western propaganda infobubble. Cui bono is up for debate. Who did it is up for debate.
      From the Russia point of view, the West are renowned for sneaking arms and militants in through aid.
      Of course you are entrenched with the view that Putin is some sort of murderous vampire, instead of a benign knucklehead like Bush, Obama, Blair, whoever you choose to excuse, so you can’t see anything clearly. Hate Russia going into Ukraine to meet its objectives however much you like, but they are only acting in their interests in perfect concert with the “failed state” doctrine the West created.

      • Putin is a murderous war criminal no better than Mladic, Milosevic et al. If you support Putin then you have big, big problems Paul.

        • Even if everything said about them was true,
          How are they worse than Bush and Blair?
          Russia has caused far less destruction on death, on stronger terms, tried everything it could to avoid it, compared to the West in Iraq. Saying otherwise just buys into the deliberate demonisation of “official enemies”.

          • You have no moral compass Paul! You are supporting war criminals here. That is akin to holocaust denial. You are aligning yourself with very evil people.

  16. “A risk is that Russia blows the [nuclear] plant up; spreading nuclear waste far and wide. However, this seems highly unlikely because it would trigger a significant international response; similar to using nuclear weapons.” Ben Morgan

    Hardly likely, just look at the muted international response to the Russians blowing up the Karkhova Dam.

    https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/06/7/7405825/

    Zelenskyy shocked by reaction of UN and Red Cross
    IRYNA BALACHUK — WEDNESDAY, 7 JUNE 2023, 22:10

    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he is shocked by the reaction of the UN and the Red Cross to the blowing up of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) by the Russian occupiers.

    Source: Zelenskyy in an interview for BILD

    Quote: “We have not received a single response [to Ukraine’s requests for help – ed.]. I am shocked.”

    Details: He added that if there was a reaction, it was “very diplomatic”

    Zelenskyy stressed that despite the tragedy that occurred many hours ago, neither the UN nor the Red Cross “are there”, although they “should be the first to save lives”, as this is what these structures were created for.

    Quote: “What is happening right now is a tragedy. An environmental disaster and human tragedy…People and animals have died. People stuck on the roofs of their houses can see those who have drowned flowing past them. It can be seen on the other side. It is extremely hard to evacuate people from the occupied part of Kherson Oblast. When our people try to save them, the occupiers launch attacks,” Zelesnkyy added.

  17. “A question is where the decision was made. Did a local commander give an instruction to blow up the dam on their own initiative? Or; was the decision made in the Kremlin?” Ben Morgan

    The order signed by Prime Minister of the Russian Federation not to allow any investigation of the destruction due to an act of war of “Hydraulic Structures” (read dams), which was enacted only days before they destroyed the dam is proof positive that that the decision to blow up the Karkhova Dam was made at the highest levels in the Kremlin.

    https://news.yahoo.com/russia-decided-accidents-hazardous-facilities-084159995.html

    Russia decided accidents at hazardous facilities would not be investigated shortly before blowing up Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant

    The document was signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and came into force on the day of its publication, 31 May.

    ….

    “Until 1 January 2028, technical investigations shall not be carried out into accidents at hazardous production facilities and accidents at hydraulic structures that occurred as a result of military operations, sabotage and acts of terrorism.”

  18. Pat talking to his own echo chamber again, the issue with pat’s little rabbit droppings he and Ovod scatter around is they are so one dimensional.
    Yahoo news sounds like a fictional news source on the Micky mouse show, it really tells me all i need to know about “Warrior” pat.

    • Really amazing. Don’t even try to deny the facts, just straight into ad hominin personal attack.

      Our blood thirsty pro-war trolls are desperately in need of some quality control from their handlers.

    • Well Finngrin, a typically brain dead comment from you! How many books have you read on Russia and Ukraine? I would suspect nada! Zilch!

    • Don’t dispute the message, shoot the messenger, eh fingrinn?

      You can deride the Yahoo news site all you like, but they quote directly from the original Russian government website document of the Russian government legislation passed only a few days before they destroyed the Karkhova dam officially making it illegal to investigate who did it.

      And you don’t dispute that, you attack the messenger instead. And remain stubbournly silent on the substance of their report.

  19. I fully support the aims of the Congress for Free Russia recently held in Lithuania and I would lay down a challenge to the ‘pro-Russianists’ on this blog – do they support Russia or do they support the despotic Putin? If they do support the current regime then they do not have a democratic bone in their bodies let alone a complete disregard for human rights!

  20. On the news that a some Putin fanboy/girl at RNZ has been inserting pro-war Russian propaganda into the RNZ overseas newsfeed in support in the Russian invasion and conquest of Ukraine.

    Twisting the facts to fit the Russian pro-war narrative is not a new thing.

    Putin’s ‘Human Rights Council’ Accidentally Posts Real Crimean Election Results

    Official Kremlin results: 97 percent of polled voters for annexation, turnout 83 percent, and 82 percent of total Crimean population voting in favor.

    President’s Human Rights Council mid-point estimate: 55 percent of polled voters for annexation, turnout 40 percent, 22.5 percent of total Crimean population voting in favor.

    A member of the Human Rights Council, Svetlana Gannushkina, talked about election fraud on Kanal 24 (as replayed on Ukrainian television), declaring that the Crimean vote “discredited Russia more than could be dreamed up by a foreign agent.”

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2014/05/05/putins-human-rights-council-accidentally-posts-real-crimean-election-results-only-15-voted-for-annexation

  21. Wow! Just Wow! The pro-Putinist lunatics on this page are really scary! I truly hope there is nobody as mad as this with their finger on the button in that once respected country Russia.

    • Not even close. Pro Putin activism isn’t even close to what’s going on here. On the whole we are all using our current environment each of us occupy to evaluate the system that Putin occupies and making best guesses to that which will succeed. Us or Russia. You’ve made the claim of pro Putin and I’m going to push you to justify that or you can just run away like a little bitch.

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