NATO slams Russia’s dam attack in Ukraine as ‘outrageous act that put lives in danger’

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, on Tuesday, condemned Russia for the destruction of Ukraine’s Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station [HPP], saying that it “puts thousands of civilians at risk and causes severe environmental damage.” Stoltenberg was addressing the Bucharest Nine [B9] in Slovakia when he slammed Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s what he described as the “unprovoked war of aggression” in Ukraine that has changed the security environment in Europe for a long term. 

“Russia has shattered peace in Europe,” the defensive bloc NATO’s chief said, adding that blowing up the dam in Ukraine was an “outrageous act” which demonstrates, once again, the brutality of Russia in Ukraine. Stoltenberg made remarks in the Slovakian capital Bratislava during the "Bucharest Nine" meeting that includes the group of Eastern flank NATO allies—Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Stoltenberg underscored stepping up military support for Ukraine during the upcoming July summit. "Decisions we take at the NATO summit in July Vilnius will be very significant, it will strengthen our support for Ukraine, with a multi-year package of assistance for Ukraine to transition from the Soviet era to NATO standards and bring Ukraine closer to NATO," Stoltenberg stressed. NATO's Secretary General maintained that all allies agree that Alliance's door remains open and that Ukraine will become a member and Russia does not have a veto. 

[LIVE] Watch #NATO Secretary General @jensstoltenberg's opening remarks at the Opening Session of the #B9 Summit.

🎥 https://t.co/aO9C54WTd5

— Oana Lungescu (@NATOpress)

"At Vinius, we will also further strengthen our deterrence and defense, will commit to join new defense plans and new NATO force bubble, with more troops at highest readiness, and stronger NATO command under control. We will also agree to a stringer commitment to increase defense investment with 2% GDP as a minimum," NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg said at B9 summit. 

Ahead of Ukraine’s much-anticipated counteroffensive, the Soviet-era Kakhovka dam that sits on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, was damaged in a mysterious explosion. Head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said in a video on Telegram that "the Russian army has committed yet another act of terror," by destroying the dam, adding that water would reach "critical levels" within five hours. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed "Russia terrorists" for the attack, and called an emergency meeting of his security advisors. 

'Horrific and barbaric act': EU

Ukraine’s state-operated hydroelectric company, Ukrhydroenergo, in an official statement, stressed that the dam was destroyed due to a massive explosion that occurred in the engine room which is under the control of Russian forces. Zelenskyy argued that the dam was occupied by Russia and that it would be “impossible” for Ukrainians to blow it up from outside. “It was mined,” said Zelenskyy, blaming the Russian forces. “And they blew up.” Kakhovka Dam helped cool Europe's largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and was a vital source of drinking water for the south in Crimea. 

European Union [EU] labelled the attack on dam a “horrific and barbaric act” that would have “terrible humanitarian and environmental consequences.” 

Credit: AP

Pro-Russian Telegram channels claim that the attack was carried out by the Ukrainian military to gain the strategic upper hand against the Russian positions in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as fighting intensified in the eastern and Southern fronts. The flooding, they claim, could assist Ukrainian forces in crossing the area where the Dnipro River forms the frontline ahead of the counter-offensive. The Russian forces, due to the floods, would need to transfer additional reserves upriver, Igor Girkin, a former paramilitary leader wrote on Telegram. It remains to see which side will benefit from the flooding during the early stages of the Ukrainian counteroffensive as the war entered the 16th month. 

Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, claimed that there were "clear signs of deliberate sabotage" by Ukraine at the Kakhovskaya HPP. "Russia categorically denies allegations of its involvement in the attack on the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station," Peskov said, adding that one of the main goals of Ukraine’s sabotage at the Kakhovskaya HPP is to stop water supplies to 2014 annexed Crimea. Peskov warned that the dam’s “sabotage” will result in “very severe consequences” for the civilians. Ihor Syrota, the head of Ukrhydroenergo, reportedly noted that the damage on the dam is huge and that the station can’t be repaired anymore. “The lower part of it has already been washed away. The machine hall that is in the upper part is flooded,” he was quoted saying. 

#Russia blew up the dams of the #Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. The purpose is obvious: to create insurmountable obstacles on the way of the advancing #AFU; to intercept the information initiative; to slow down the fair final of the war. On a vast territory, all life will be… pic.twitter.com/rFpkDbjyhj

— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M)

Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, chairs the emergency meeting of the National Security and Defense Council. Credit: AP

"This is a heinous war crime," Kuleba said in a tweet. "The only way to stop Russia, the greatest terrorist of the 21st century, is to kick it out of Ukraine."

150 tons of machine oil leaks into Dnipro River; UNSC meeting called

After Zelenskyy held the meeting with the National Security and Defense Council, Ukraine sounded alarm about the environmental disaster in the making, saying that an estimated 150 tons of machine oil has leaked into the Dnipro River. 300 more tons risks leak, Ukraine’s government is saying, as it called an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council that would include the International Atomic Energy Agency’s [IAEA]’s board of governors.

A statement released by Ukraine's president's office following the meeting squarely lay the blame for the attack on the Russian forces who blew up the hydroelectric power plant" from inside.” Zelenskyy and his advisors are preparing to take the matter to the international environmental organizations and the International Criminal Court [ICC] arguing that the dam’s breach was a clear violation of the Geneva Convention as more than 80 communities lying in the "flood zone” were impacted by the incident.