Russian General Suspected in Kakhovka Dam Explosion; Ukraine Investigates Major Disaster
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has officially announced suspicions against a high-ranking officer of the Russian Armed Forces—Lieutenant General Vladimir Omelyanovich—who allegedly coordinated the sabotage of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.
According to investigations, during the night of June 5 to June 6, 2023, he commanded military actions aimed at destroying the dam on the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region.
This act of sabotage triggered a large-scale humanitarian and environmental catastrophe, claiming at least 35 lives, with 24 more still considered missing.
Floodwaters inundated 46 settlements, covering over 1,300 hectares of agricultural land and 55,000 hectares of forests, causing widespread ecological damage.
Additionally, at least 81,000 hectares of protected natural areas and industrial facilities were flooded.
The disaster has also threatened the operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant due to cooling system disruptions.
Furthermore, water supplies have been cut off for communities in Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk regions, and temporarily occupied Crimea.
Investigators have also highlighted that the bottom of the Kakhovka reservoir is constantly burning, complicating salvage efforts.
Based on collected evidence, a court has approved the suspect’s suspicion in absentia on charges related to war crimes and intentional killings.
Earlier expert Yakhiv Diduha from the M.
Kholodny Institute of Botany emphasized that nature is regenerating at the site of the former reservoir, with unique floodplain forests appearing anew.
Scientists warn that repeated flooding of this area in 10 years could result in losses of at least $825 million, and after 20 years, damages may exceed $1 billion.
This situation underscores the long-term environmental and economic consequences of the destruction, which will have repercussions far beyond the region.