Ukraine accuses Russia of planning to destroy Kherson hydro dam

Volodymyr Zelensky says Kremlin forces have mined the Kakhovka power plant in the Kherson region.

Volodymyr Zelensky says hundreds of thousands of people would be in danger of rapid flooding if the dam was destroyed. Picture: AFP

Ukraine accused Russia of planning to destroy a hydro-electric dam in the eastern Kherson region, where Ukrainian soldiers have been steadily advancing and Moscow-installed authorities have begun evacuations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces had mined the Kakhovka hydro-electric power plant with the intent of blowing it up, in what would amount to a “catastrophe on a grand scale”.

Hundreds of thousands of people around the lower Dnipro River would be in danger of rapid flooding if the dam was destroyed, Mr Zelensky warned in a speech overnight Thursday to European leaders. He said cutting water supplies to the south could also impact the cooling systems of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest. And the North Crimean canal, which provides a crucial water supply to Crimea — occupied since 2014 by Russia — could be destroyed.

Russia’s goal is to halt the Ukrainian advance in the region and protect Russian troops, according to Mr Zelensky’s adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak.

Cities across Ukraine began curbing electricity consumption ahead of winter on Thursday as authorities warned that heavy damage to the country’s energy grid by Russian attacks would spark a new wave of refugees from the country.

“Russia’s leadership has given the order to turn the energy system itself into a battlefield. The consequences of this are very dangerous, again for all of us in Europe,” Mr Zelensky said in an address to the EU council. Energy-saving measures were put in place across the country after Russian missile and drone strikes destroyed at least 30 per cent of the country’s power stations in a week.

Following blackouts in parts of Kyiv overnight, the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, urged businesses to limit screens and signage lights “as much as possible”.

“Even small savings and a reduction in electricity consumption in every home will help stabilise the operation of the national energy system,” he said.

Ukrainians responded defiantly. “It’s not going to change our attitude, maybe we will only hate them more,” said Olga, a resident of Dnipro in central Ukraine. “I would rather sit in the cold with no water and electricity than be in Russia.”

People were rushing to buy auxiliary power supplies such as generators and batteries, according to an electronics vendor.

The White House said it had evidence of Iranians taking a direct role in the war, helping Russians direct their Iranian-made “kamikaze drones” — which are destroyed in attacks on Ukrainian targets such as power stations.

“Tehran is now directly engaged on the ground, and through the provision of weapons that are impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine,” said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. He added that there was also concern Iran might supply surface-to-surface missiles to Russia for use in the war.

The EU and UK announced sanctions on three Iranian generals and an arms firm accused of supplying Russia with drones.

AFP