Despite the immediate international condemnation by the European Union (EU) and NATO of the destruction “by Russia” of this civilian infrastructure, some Western media have begun to warn that satellite images taken between May and June 5 show that the dam suffered damage in the previous days.
The EU is ready to provide the necessary assistance and humanitarian aid to mitigate the consequences of this catastrophe caused by Russia,” Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter.
minimal nuclear risk
The partial destruction of the dam raises fears of consequences for the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, located 150 km upstream, because it guarantees its cooling.
However, “there is no immediate nuclear danger,” the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stressed, adding that its experts at the facility are monitoring the situation.
Like the dam, the power station is located in an area occupied by Russian forces since the invasion they launched in February 2022.
The plant’s director, Yuri Chernichuk, appointed by the Russian occupiers, stated that “at present there are no threats” to the security of the facility.
In the city of Kherson, the inhabitants fear the consequences.
“The flood is right there, in front of our eyes. Nobody knows what can happen from now on. A good Russian is a dead Russian, I can’t say anything else,” Viktor, a resident, told AFP.
In addition to the human consequences of the disaster, Ukraine is concerned about the ecological and agricultural consequences.
According to the Ukrainian presidency, at least 150 tons of motor oil were spilled into the Dnieper river and there is a risk of another 300 tons leaking.
The partial destruction of the dam is “the biggest man-made environmental disaster in Europe for decades,” Zelensky said, accusing Russia of being guilty “of brutal ecocide.”
With information from AFP and EFE