The Russians blew up the Kakhovka Dam in Kherson

According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka Dam in the Russian-controlled part of the Kherson region of southern Ukraine. “The extent of the damage, the speed and volume of water, and the potential flooding areas are being clarified,” the Southern Command wrote in a statement today.

According to the Russian news agency RIAA, the mayor of Nowa Kakhovka contradicted reports that the dam had been blown up. He reported damage from artillery fire. Many posts have been circulating on Russian and Ukrainian social networks that the dam on the Dnipro River has been destroyed.

The reservoir supplies water to Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, as well as to the occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. Widespread flooding is feared.

Russia claims to have thwarted another attack

Russia had previously reported thwarting another major offensive by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region. As announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense last night, eight Leopard battle tanks and three French wheeled tanks were destroyed.

1,500 Ukrainian soldiers were killed. Also, 109 armored vehicles were destroyed. The report could not be independently confirmed and Ukraine has not commented.

Prigozhin: “absurd science fiction”

Suspicions about the information came from the head of the Russian Wagner mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The alleged number of Ukrainian casualties was not considered realistic. This will require more ground gains.

“So I think this is just wild and absurd science fiction,” Prigozhin said in a statement on his Telegram channel. Compiling the Ministry’s figures, he added sarcastically, “We’ve destroyed the entire planet five times over.”

Prigozhin has repeatedly criticized the Russian military leadership, accusing it of incompetence. Ukraine yesterday rejected the Russian claim of launching a counter-attack in the Donetsk region.