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| A visual guide to the collapse of Ukraine’s Nova Kakhovka dam | A visual guide to the collapse of Ukraine’s Nova Kakhovka dam |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up Dnipro River dam, which has largely been swept away | Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up Dnipro River dam, which has largely been swept away |
| Where is the dam and what has happened to it? | Where is the dam and what has happened to it? |
| The dam is located upstream from the city of Kherson on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine. Russia controls territory on the left bank of the river. The right bank is held by Ukraine. | |
| The 2km-long dam has a road running along its top and is about 30 metres high. It powers the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant, a major energy producer, and holds back a reservoir containing 18 cubic km of water, which in turn feeds the north Crimea canal. The canal carries drinking water to Russian-occupied Crimea. | The 2km-long dam has a road running along its top and is about 30 metres high. It powers the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant, a major energy producer, and holds back a reservoir containing 18 cubic km of water, which in turn feeds the north Crimea canal. The canal carries drinking water to Russian-occupied Crimea. |
| While there is still a lot of conflicting information, one version has it that at around 3am on Tuesday morning a large explosion occurred. The blast was reportedly loud enough to be heard 80km away. Footage from a monitoring camera overlooking the dam appears to show a flash, explosion and breakage of the dam. | While there is still a lot of conflicting information, one version has it that at around 3am on Tuesday morning a large explosion occurred. The blast was reportedly loud enough to be heard 80km away. Footage from a monitoring camera overlooking the dam appears to show a flash, explosion and breakage of the dam. |
| How serious is the damage? | How serious is the damage? |
| Before and after satellite images of the dam show the extent of the damage. | Before and after satellite images of the dam show the extent of the damage. |
| The dam and Kakhovka hydroelectric plant appear to have been largely swept away, releasing a wall of water downstream. | The dam and Kakhovka hydroelectric plant appear to have been largely swept away, releasing a wall of water downstream. |
| Video images from the city of Nova Kakhovka show flood waters in the main square rising around the municipal building. | Video images from the city of Nova Kakhovka show flood waters in the main square rising around the municipal building. |
| On the Ukrainian-controlled right bank of the river, evacuations have been ordered in 10 riverside settlements and districts of Kherson city. | On the Ukrainian-controlled right bank of the river, evacuations have been ordered in 10 riverside settlements and districts of Kherson city. |
| Drone footage also appears to show the river at roof height in an unidentified settlement, presumably on the Russian-controlled left bank. | Drone footage also appears to show the river at roof height in an unidentified settlement, presumably on the Russian-controlled left bank. |
| The geography around the river means it is likely that Russian-controlled areas will be more badly hit by the flooding. Above Kherson city the land rises to a plain that overlooks the river. To the south is a wide delta with marshes, low-lying islands and flat sandy levels. | The geography around the river means it is likely that Russian-controlled areas will be more badly hit by the flooding. Above Kherson city the land rises to a plain that overlooks the river. To the south is a wide delta with marshes, low-lying islands and flat sandy levels. |
| Who was responsible? | Who was responsible? |
| Ukraine has blamed Russian occupying forces, which have had control of the dam and the adjacent town since last year’s full-scale invasion, of blowing up the dam in an attempt to ward off a Ukrainian counteroffensive. | Ukraine has blamed Russian occupying forces, which have had control of the dam and the adjacent town since last year’s full-scale invasion, of blowing up the dam in an attempt to ward off a Ukrainian counteroffensive. |
| For its part the Kremlin on Tuesday accused Kyiv of sabotaging the dam to deprive Russian-controlled Crimea of the fresh water it receives from the reservoir and to distract attention from the counteroffensive. | For its part the Kremlin on Tuesday accused Kyiv of sabotaging the dam to deprive Russian-controlled Crimea of the fresh water it receives from the reservoir and to distract attention from the counteroffensive. |
| How will this affect Ukraine’s counteroffensive? | How will this affect Ukraine’s counteroffensive? |
| With so little known about Ukraine’s much-vaunted counteroffensive, that question remains unclear. | With so little known about Ukraine’s much-vaunted counteroffensive, that question remains unclear. |
| Ukrainian forces have been trying to cross the Dnipro south of Kherson city, while also attempting to advance along the narrow Kinburn spit at the mouth of the river. | Ukrainian forces have been trying to cross the Dnipro south of Kherson city, while also attempting to advance along the narrow Kinburn spit at the mouth of the river. |
| Both the dam area and the delta are seen as vulnerabilities for Russian forces, and the flooding has put paid – for now at least – to any potential Ukrainian attempt to cross the Dnipro River around Kherson/Nova Kakhovka by widening the barrier separating the two forces. | Both the dam area and the delta are seen as vulnerabilities for Russian forces, and the flooding has put paid – for now at least – to any potential Ukrainian attempt to cross the Dnipro River around Kherson/Nova Kakhovka by widening the barrier separating the two forces. |
| Russian defensive positions have already been concentrated on higher ground on the southern bank, at Olekshy and Hola Prystan. | Russian defensive positions have already been concentrated on higher ground on the southern bank, at Olekshy and Hola Prystan. |
| The loss of the road across the top of the dam also deprives Ukraine of a potential line of attack across the river, leaving only the Antonivsky Bridge in Kherson city as a paved river crossing. | |
| The flooding might also allow Russian reserves in the south to block any move on Melitopol. And it could free up troop reserves concentrated in the south to be directed elsewhere. | The flooding might also allow Russian reserves in the south to block any move on Melitopol. And it could free up troop reserves concentrated in the south to be directed elsewhere. |
| The Dnipro delta is one of the more underreported fronts in the war. Following Ukraine’s capture of Kherson, a quiet struggle has been going on for control on the marshy islands there, reported on by the Guardian in early May. A relative risky attack could, if successful, have opened up the option of a more direct strike towards Crimea. | The Dnipro delta is one of the more underreported fronts in the war. Following Ukraine’s capture of Kherson, a quiet struggle has been going on for control on the marshy islands there, reported on by the Guardian in early May. A relative risky attack could, if successful, have opened up the option of a more direct strike towards Crimea. |
| How serious could the flooding be? | How serious could the flooding be? |
| A Ukrainian nongovernmental organisation estimated ahead of the dam’s collapse that nearly 100 villages and towns could be flooded. It also reckoned that the water level would start dropping only after 5-7 days. | A Ukrainian nongovernmental organisation estimated ahead of the dam’s collapse that nearly 100 villages and towns could be flooded. It also reckoned that the water level would start dropping only after 5-7 days. |
| At the time of writing, flood waters were still rising, with the flood level expected to peak later on Tuesday. | At the time of writing, flood waters were still rising, with the flood level expected to peak later on Tuesday. |
| Last month, it was reported that water levels in the reservoir had reached a 30-year high as the Russian occupiers had kept relatively few sluice gates open. | Last month, it was reported that water levels in the reservoir had reached a 30-year high as the Russian occupiers had kept relatively few sluice gates open. |
| A senior Ukrainian presidential adviser said “a global ecological disaster is playing out now, online, and thousands of animals and ecosystems will be destroyed in the next few hours”. | A senior Ukrainian presidential adviser said “a global ecological disaster is playing out now, online, and thousands of animals and ecosystems will be destroyed in the next few hours”. |
| Another worry is what the drop in water levels further upstream might mean for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Ukraine’s nuclear operator said the blowing up of the dam “could have negative consequences” for the plant, which is Europe’s biggest, but that for now the situation is “controllable”. | Another worry is what the drop in water levels further upstream might mean for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Ukraine’s nuclear operator said the blowing up of the dam “could have negative consequences” for the plant, which is Europe’s biggest, but that for now the situation is “controllable”. |
| In February, water levels were so low that many feared a meltdown at the plant, whose cooling systems are supplied with water from the Kakhovka reservoir. | In February, water levels were so low that many feared a meltdown at the plant, whose cooling systems are supplied with water from the Kakhovka reservoir. |