2023-06-07 10:46:45
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAM FAILURE?
Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the collapse of the 30-meter-high, 3.2-kilometer-long dam. Western governments see responsibility in Moscow. The trigger could have been targeted explosions or attacks on the street on the dam built in 1956 in the past few months, which could have damaged its structure. The reservoir is said to have been full to the brim in the days before the rupture. The Russian nuclear energy company Rosenergoatom had already warned at the beginning of May that flooding could lead to a rupture of the dam.
WHO BENEFITS FROM THE DAM BREAK?
“Considering that Russia is on the strategic defensive and Ukraine is on the strategic offensive, that’s definitely an advantage for Russia in the short term,” said Ben Barry, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. It is becoming more difficult for Ukrainian troops to cross the Dnipro. Maciej Matysiak, a security expert at the Stratpoints Foundation, agrees that the flood will prevent the use of heavy weapons such as tanks for at least a month.
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Destruction of dam: 40,000 people affected by flooding
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR PEOPLE AND ANIMALS?
Floods threatened 42,000 people on both sides of the Dnipro River, according to Ukrainian data. There were initially no reports of fatalities. But a US government spokesman said the flooding may have claimed many lives. In addition to the damage to houses and the loss of crops in the flooded areas, countless animals died. After the tide has gone down, the flooded areas are threatened with silting up for months.
WHAT EFFECTS ARE THERE ON THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY?
The reservoir was one of the largest water reservoirs in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, hundreds of thousands of people have been cut off from the drinking water supply due to the rupture of the Kakhovka dam and the floods.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR AGRICULTURE?
The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture says that without the reservoir, 500,000 hectares of land would be without irrigation in the future. They threatened to turn into deserts. Experts also expect that the floods will wash chemicals and lubricants from industry into the ground, causing permanent damage to ecosystems and biodiversity. This hits agriculture hard in Ukraine, which is considered the breadbasket of Europe. Especially since mines and attacks are also hampering agricultural production in other parts of the country. The price of wheat rose more than three percent after the dam collapse on Tuesday.
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Dam disaster in Ukraine: What we know – and what we don’t
HOW GREAT IS THE DANGER FOR THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT?
The International Atomic Energy Agency has allayed initial concerns that the shut down Zaporizhia nuclear power plant could be affected. There is enough cooling water from cooling basins and channels for the coming months. The Russian nuclear power company Rosenergoatom had warned in early May that a flood could inundate the power cables for the pumping station of the nuclear power plant’s cooling systems.
ARE THERE FASTER GUN DELIVERIES?
In their reactions to the dam breach, a number of Western governments emphasized that they will continue to provide military aid to Ukraine, which is planning an offensive to recapture the territories occupied by Russia. If the use of tanks in southern Ukraine is now made more difficult, this could heat up the debate about the delivery of fighter jets. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that he had now received an offer for the delivery of western F-16 fighter jets. He did not give details.
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