Nova Kakhovka Dam

[Orionblamblam]

Both Ukraine and Russia are blaming each other for blowing up the Nova Kakhovka Dam. From the video of the explosion, this sure doesn't look like something done by artillery or a missile; that explosion is *huge.* Looks a whole lot like a sizable demolition. Things downriver are gonna get problematic. *Upriver* is the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is likely going to find itself high and dry, meaning not only will it have to shut down due to a sudden lack of coolant, the cooling ponds for spent nuclear fuel might be at risk.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1665934164305010688

View: https://twitter.com/_ipso1/status/1665934164305010688

 

[jeffb]

Russian concerns over the Ukrainians blowing this dam were (supposedly) what prompted the Russian's withdrawal to the left bank (from Kherson) some 6 months ago.

There were reports of the Ukrainians releasing water from dams higher up the Dnieper a week or so ago. The thinking then was that it would make it harder for the Russians to mount any sort of advance from the Bakhmut area by filling the dams and causeways to its west.

This act will likely flood sections of Kherson, cut the water supply to Crimea (again), force the shutdown of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (handy if there's going to be fighting nearby) and will flood or wash away many defensive positions and minefields prepared by the Russians after their withdrawal to the left bank.

Certainly not artillery. Probably not a missile, although I'm not sure what 450kg of TNT detonating would look like exactly.

 

[Graham1973]

A YouTube commenter's take on this...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKUMijNtAHI

 

[publiusr]

sigh...

 

[Graham1973]

Another YouTube commentator's analysis of what went on at the dam before the collapse.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z4rhBKTT5U

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Topic locked.