Someone just blew up Ukraine’s Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant and took out a major dam

[Kruska]

Ukraine may have destroyed the dam. But, ironically, the reason of that is the opposite of 'escalation scenario'. On the contrary, it may be a way of drawing a frozen conflict scenario in some middle term perspective.

'Positive' outcome of the destroyed dam:
1. The Kinburn Spit. This piece of land was used by the Russians to control the Mykolaiv and Ochakiv waterways. Now, with this Spit virtually turning into the island and the Russian troops moving out of there, Ukraine could relieve these waterways.
2. Kherson. Widening the Dnieper riverbed in that area may ensure growing security for the city and diminishing the number of artillery strikes against it from the Russian side.
3. Making holding of the occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts way more costly for Russia in a long perspective. Decreasing the level of the Kahovka reservoir can lead to an operational halt of Zaporizhzhia NPP, thus rendering the cheap energy won't be available for the occupied areas. This can also lead to numerous irrigation canals drying up with possible water shortages for agriculture sector.

All that would be unnecessary if Ukraine were to reclaim those territories in short term perspective.

It is of course all speculations now. It is unclear who really destroyed the dam and what consequences that will have.

Any advantage in regards to destroying the dam - would be solely to the Ukrainian side.
Off course one can't out-rule that some overanxious Russian commander - pressed the trigger - if so he will be executed.

According to latest news and satellite pictures - it is now speculated by some "civil-engineer experts" - that the combination of lack of maintenance of the dam + previous Ukrainian HIMARS shelling of the dam - brought about it's 'crumbling" - 7-8 days before the dam collapsed - a bridge construction leading overhead of the three sluice gates had already collapsed. (Where the HIMARS had hit).

Environmental catastrophe experts were all amazed as to the speed and (ready emergency equipment) in place by both sides. - despite being in a war.

 

[Silver Cat]

 

[ESay]

Any advantage in regards to destroying the dam - would be solely to the Ukrainian side.
Off course one can't out-rule that some overanxious Russian commander - pressed the trigger - if so he will be executed.

According to latest news and satellite pictures - it is now speculated by some "civil-engineer experts" - that the combination of lack of maintenance of the dam + previous Ukrainian HIMARS shelling of the dam - brought about it's 'crumbling" - 7-8 days before the dam collapsed - a bridge construction leading overhead of the three sluice gates had already collapsed. (Where the HIMARS had hit).

Environmental catastrophe experts were all amazed as to the speed and (ready emergency equipment) in place by both sides. - despite being in a war.

Yes, it may well be that the dam collapsed because of 'natural' reasons. So far, there is no evidence that it was hit by some rockets or something else. So, it should have been blown up. Considering that the Russians control the hydroelectric plant (which the dam is part of) and considering the amount of explosives needed, it must have been a quite difficult stuff.

I want to add that in this year Ukraine experienced one of the biggest floods and many rivers saw a sharp level rise. And the water level on the dam was high, above the 'normal' level.

The Russians needed to let the water go through the dam farther along the Dnieper. But they didn't do that. Maybe because it would have caused their defence lines along the riverbed to be drowned.

 

[Kruska]

So far, there is no evidence that it was hit by some rockets or something else.

You would be wrong on that part. Since the Ukrainian Field-commander, Major-General Andrij Kowaltschuk had already admitted several weeks ago towards previous artillery fire and the additional use of HIMARS to damage the three sluice gates (to cause a controlled) flooding on parts of the Russian held Eastern Bank. This statement also appears in regards to those civil engineers assuming structural damage to the dam - facing additional pressure due to (as you already mentioned) higher water-level of the e.g. Dnieper/Dnipro

 

[Litwin]

Ukrainian

 

[Ringo]

So for entertainment they drop potatoes from drones on the Belarussian border posts. The Belarussian guards scramble in every direction thinking it's a grenade, while the Ukes are watching on the monitor and laughing their asses off.

That's some epic trolling right there, lol.

And this is funny for you, hypocrite?

 

[Ringo]

Water release from the Kakhovka reservoir on June 5 vs June 7—you know, the one “Russia” most definitely damaged to flood pro-Russian areas in Kherson and screw with Russian Crimea’s water supply, according to the narrative masters.

 

[ESay]

You would be wrong on that part. Since the Ukrainian Field-commander, Major-General Andrij Kowaltschuk had already admitted several weeks ago towards previous artillery fire and the additional use of HIMARS to damage the three sluice gates (to cause a controlled) flooding on parts of the Russian held Eastern Bank. This statement also appears in regards to those civil engineers assuming structural damage to the dam - facing additional pressure due to (as you already mentioned) higher water-level of the e.g. Dnieper/Dnipro

I meant the evidence of recent strikes. In the day or immediately before the dams collapse. Ukraine was hitting the dam last fall at the times of the Kherson offensive operation to disrupt Russian supply routes.

 

[para bellum]

And this is funny for you, hypocrite?

Relax, the potatoes were not harmed.

 

[JohnDB]

Any advantage in regards to destroying the dam - would be solely to the Ukrainian side.
Off course one can't out-rule that some overanxious Russian commander - pressed the trigger - if so he will be executed.

According to latest news and satellite pictures - it is now speculated by some "civil-engineer experts" - that the combination of lack of maintenance of the dam + previous Ukrainian HIMARS shelling of the dam - brought about it's 'crumbling" - 7-8 days before the dam collapsed - a bridge construction leading overhead of the three sluice gates had already collapsed. (Where the HIMARS had hit).

Environmental catastrophe experts were all amazed as to the speed and (ready emergency equipment) in place by both sides. - despite being in a war.

The HIMARS hit was in September of LAST YEAR. The Russians were responsible for the Maintenance since they held both sides of the Dam.
The obvious explosion caught on cameras showed quite clearly that the power generation portion of the Dam was the focus of the explosions but the carry over damage (from using too much explosives) damaged the top of the dam as well.

It's rather apparent to me that Russia was trying to destroy the generation capability and to stop the Ukranians from following the RETREATING Russians. (One of the few ways across the river in this area)

So all the denials and finger pointing of the Russians is of course more lies....it's not like truth telling is synonymous with Russia.

 

[Ringo]

So all the denials and finger pointing of the Russians is of course more lies....it's not like truth telling is synonymous with Russia.

Do you support nazis because you're a nazi or because you're just an asshole?

 

[Litwin]

support

you are a nazi, and dirty sralinist

 

[MisterBeale]

 

[JohnDB]

Do you support nazis because you're a nazi or because you're just an asshole?

I'm a GOM(grumpy old man)....which can be confused with being an asshole at times but NTA.

But I also am good at critical analysis. Meaning that I don't fall for propaganda. My wife even minored in propaganda for her Master's degree....we are a lot alike in that way. I'm also an industrial Electrician who has worked many times at generation facilities and switch yards. (500KVA switch yards and below)

So where I do know something about electrical generation and seen the videos of the dam getting blown up and know that someone was blowing up the alternators to get those sort of sparks to fly. There was much better ways of doing it but the Russian soldiers who did the sabatoge weren't the brightest to begin with. (Obviously) maybe they are relatives of yours.....dunno.

 

[para bellum]

Some images and dates.
First, the dam intact:

The locks are on the right. There is a canal there and a bridge that crosses. This is what Ukraine hit with HIMARS last September. The rail section looks intact, or at least it didn't suffer heavy damage.

Incidentally, the Russians just filled the locks with rubble and concrete, it didn't slow the evacuation down appreciably.

The road bed runs in front of the HPP, and was damaged where it crosses the spillway. This was covered by steel plates. This pic was posted in March of 2023. I don't know when the damage actually happened, I am looking for more information on this strike. It was not part of the September HIMARS strike, we would have seen it back then.

This isn't structural damage to the dam itself- it's just a bridge over the spillway. But it's definitely fucked up and not usable.

Satellite imaging shows this part of the roadway collapsed sometime between May 28 and June 5 (before the total collapse).

Note there are also 3 missing spans of roadway on the left side, these were dropped by the Russians back in November when they finished evacuating the right bank. This damage isn't a factor in the collapse of the dam, but it would prevent the AFU from using it to cross the Dnipro, or at least force them to use bridging equipment to get across the missing spans.

The HPP is on the right. Note the 6 roll-up doors on the front side.

Here is the HPP now. The center third is gone, the left third is in the river, and the right third is still intact with 2 roll up doors visible.

None of the previous damage to the road bed could have triggered this much destruction, this is obviously something separate.

 

[Litwin]

Russian

 

[Ringo]

 

[Litwin]

does he live in Omsk already ?

 

[JohnDB]

About the much touted "Chinese Assistance" to Russia during this conflict.....it's not going to happen.

Chinese map & territorial claims on the Russian Far East territories​

Before the alleged visit of Xi to Moscow (Beijing does not confirm the visit of 21st of March), China published an official map of Russia with the new toponymic designations, changing Russian names of the Far East cities and territories to the Chinese names. This publication states that the names of these cities [e.g. Vladivostok is Hǎishēnwǎi], lakes and mountains were changed in accordance with the “historical records” (China has lost some of its territories to the Russian Empire), resembling a Chinese territorial claim on the Russian Far East territories during the time when Russia is weak and losing the war.

At the same time, the West has already warned China that if China starts supplying Russia with military equipment, Western aid to Ukraine will increase exponentially.

So far, the Chinese position on the Russian war against Ukraine is not very helpful to Kremlin. The Chinese treatment of Moscow and the quasi-territorial demand, claiming the Far East as part of “Chinese historical territories”, paints rather a dim picture of the Kremlin’s future.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

The same people who tell us Putin blew up Nordstream now tell us Putin blew up his own dam.

Sure