The Russians are draining water from the Kakhovsky Reservoir in order to deprive Ukrainians who receive water from the Dnipro of access to water supply.
This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at a government meeting.
"Now the Russians are trying to deprive Ukrainians of access to water supply. After the partial destruction and deliberate opening by the Russians of the locks of the Kakhovska HPP, we are losing thousands of cubic meters of water every day. As a result, 70% of settlements that receive water from the Dnipro may be left without access to drinking water," the prime minister explained.
In addition, a decrease in the water level in the storage can lead to improper functioning of the Zaporizhzhia NPP cooling systems. "Ukraine urges by all available means to put pressure on Russia to close the floodgates and restore hydrotechnical structures at the Kakhovska HPP. Or allowed Ukrainian specialists to do it. I appeal to international partners and emphasize: otherwise, we will face an ecological catastrophe that will have countless destructive consequences for the entire continent," Shmyhal emphasized.
- On October 18, 2022, in the occupied part of the Kherson regionа, the "organized transfer of the civilian population to the left bank of the Dnipro" was announced. Collaborator Volodymyr Saldo announced at the time about the "planned destruction of the Kakhovska HPP dam."
- On October 20, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the preparation of a terrorist attack at the Kakhovska HPP. The Russians mined the dam and station units — 80 settlements, including Kherson, may be in the flood zone. The Government of Ukraine called for an international mission to the hydroelectric plant.
- On October 22, Volodymyr Leontyev, the Russian-appointed "head" of the occupation administration of the Novokakhov district (Kherson region), said that water was being dumped from the Kahovsky reservoir.