Ukraine dam: Danger of 'floating landmines' as people flee floods
BBC NewsAPR 2023
Russian troops have been in control of the Kakhovka hydro plant and dam since February of last year. Since then, it has been Ukrainian officials, cited by the Washington Post, who have proposed striking the infrastructure with NATO-supplied rocket artillery. Before the dam's collapse, Ukraine had also raised the water levels of the Kakhovka reservoir to record levels, placing further pressure on the facility. There was no good reason for either side to commit such sabotage, but one thing is for sure: it was not done by Russia.
While no one knows yet exactly what or who is behind the Kakhovka dam collapse, the evidence seems to point toward Russia. As Ukraine was set to launch its counter-offensive, Russia likely feared Kyiv would use the road running above to transport troops over the river and into Russian territory. This also comes as Russia has attacked several other dams throughout the war.