Mutual Blame for the Destruction of the Kachowka Dam

Kiev and Moscow have blamed each other for the destruction of the Kachowka Dam in front of the UN Security Council. The Ukrainian UN Ambassador said that the bombing was "another example of Russian genocide". UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had already said before the meeting that the tragedy was another example of how terrible the war is for people.

Mutual Accusations

Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up the dam, while Moscow claims that Ukrainian troops shot the facility.

However, like almost all members of the Security Council, Guterres also emphasized the core point: the destruction of the southern Ukrainian dam is another disastrous effect of the Russian invasion of the neighboring country. Guterres also stressed that the United Nations has no independent knowledge of how the dam was destroyed.

Unclear Background

UN representatives also explained at the meeting that there are no confirmed details about the exact reasons for the destruction of the dam and that sabotage by Kiev is unlikely.

Russia's UN Access Conditions

Before entering the Security Council hall, Russian ambassador Nebensja told journalists that the UN should not make the same mistake as in the investigation of the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines. Ukrainian UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya accused Russia of lying again in the Security Council, claiming that Russia controls the area around the destroyed dam, and an external bombing would not have been possible. Russian counterpart Nebensja also stated that Russia would only allow UN aid workers to travel to the controlled territory if they traveled through Russia.

Widespread Impacts

UN Emergency Coordinator Martin Griffiths was also shocked by the situation. At least 40 settlements were partially or completely flooded with more expected in the coming days. UN organizations are providing humanitarian aid to at least 16,000 people who have become homeless due to the flooding. The dam was an important water source for agriculture, and its destruction is a blow to food production.

The affected water supply poses an increased risk of a nuclear accident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant controlled by Russia, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.