In a press conference held Tuesday, a reporter confronted National Security Council spokesman John Kirby regarding claims that Russia had launched an attack destroying the Nova Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine’s Kherson region.
“Does it seem believable to you that Russia would destroy a dam and flood ethnic Russian villages, and cut off a water supply to Crimea? I mean, that doesn’t seem logical. It seems about as logical as blowing up one’s own pipeline, doesn’t it?” the reporter asked.
Kirby, however, did not directly address the question but indicated that they were actively seeking information from Ukrainian sources.
“We’ve come to no conclusions on this. We’re working with the Ukrainians. We’ll try to get as much information as we can,” said Kirby.
WATCH:
REPORTER: “Is it believable that Russia would destroy a dam, flood ethnic Russian villages and cut off the water supply to Crimea? That seems about as logical as blowing up one’s own pipeline, doesn’t it?
JOHN KIRBY: “We’re working with Ukrainians to get as much info as we can” pic.twitter.com/aWEs0gYE6n
— Mark Alan Pearce (@PearceAlan1962) June 7, 2023
The Gateway Pundit previously reported that the Ukrainian military accused Russian forces of intentionally blowing up the dam at the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric power station on Tuesday.
“Russian terrorists,” said Zelenskyy. “The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam only confirms for the whole world that they must be expelled from every corner of Ukrainian land. Not a single meter should be left to them, because they use every meter for terror. It’s only Ukraine’s victory that will return security. And this victory will come. The terrorists will not be able to stop Ukraine with water, missiles or anything else.”
However, Russia denied the allegation and blamed shelling by the Ukrainian army.
Russian state news agency, RIA Novosti, reported that the shelling by the Ukrainian army reportedly destroyed the upper half of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station.
The outlet reported:
Ukrainian troops continue to inflict artillery strikes on the area of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station, RIA Novosti correspondent reports. Also, several shells fell in Novaya Kakhovka , eyewitnesses reported.
Last night shelling by the Ukrainian army destroyed the upper part of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station. The blow, presumably, was delivered from the Alder MLRS. There is an unregulated discharge of water. According to the head of the administration of Novaya Kakhovka , Vladimir Leontyev, the valves on the dam were demolished, but the dam itself was not damaged. He added that the rise in the water level in the Dnieper within the city is from two and a half to four meters.
