Kirby: U.S. can’t prove Russian or Ukrainian involvement in Kakhovka hydroelectric bombing

The United States has not yet been able to prove the involvement of Russia or Ukraine in the blowing up of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station, said John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council (NSC) of the White House.

According to him, the White House saw reports that allegedly Russia was responsible for blowing up the dam. “Now we cannot say with certainty what happened,” he said at a briefing (quote according to TASS).

The breakthrough of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station occurred on the night of June 6. As a result, an uncontrolled discharge of water began, the level of which was 11 m. The mayor of Novaya Kakhovka, Vladimir Leontiev, specified that three settlements in the Novokakhovka district have already been completely flooded. Earlier, a local state of emergency (ES) was introduced in the district. The authorities, together with the regional Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, are taking measures to eliminate emergencies in flood zones, as well as protect houses, roads, socially significant objects of the district and evacuate people.

After the incident, the Russian and Ukrainian sides were accused of undermining each other. The Kremlin said that Kyiv had committed a deliberate act of sabotage and stressed that Moscow denied accusations that it was allegedly involved in this incident.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu named happened “another terrorist crime” of Ukraine. The Minister noted that the incident would have severe and long-term consequences for the environment. According to the Ministry of Defense, Kyiv has significantly increased the discharge of water from the Dnepropetrovsk hydroelectric power station, which aggravates the situation with the flooding of the territories. Shoigu noted that this fact only proves the “large-scale sabotage” planned in advance by Kiev.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the organization’s experts at the Zaporozhye NPP are closely monitoring the situation. The destruction of the dam does not pose direct risks to the nuclear safety of the plant, the agency said.

The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, wrote on social networks that he was “shocked” by the breakthrough of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station and would raise the topic at the EU summit in late June. Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya declaredthat Russia will convene a meeting of the organization’s Security Council in connection with the destruction of the hydroelectric power station.