Attacks on civilian infrastructure under the guise of a Ukrainian “counteroffensive” are unacceptable. The world community must strongly condemn the criminal actions of the Ukrainian authorities, Russian Ambassador to Argentina Dmitry Feoktistov told Noticias Urbanas.
Feoktistov stressed that Russia had never created a threat to the security of the Kakhovskaya HPP. At the beginning of the special operation, when its facilities came under the control of the Russian military, it was discovered that Ukrainian sappers had mined the lock mechanisms of the North Crimean Canal. Then the explosion was avoided. Subsequently, the command of the armed forces of Ukraine has repeatedly declared its readiness to undermine the dam in order to solve their tactical tasks.
“As of the summer of 2022, the Ukrainians were regularly shelling the hydroelectric power plant, using, among other things, American HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems. On August 12 last year, a similar attack knocked out three of the six turbines. In total, in the summer and autumn of 2022, more than three hundred rockets were fired at the power plant with the help of HIMARS alone,” Feoktistov noted.
The Russian side, the diplomat recalled, has repeatedly drawn the attention of the world community to this situation. On October 21, 2022, Russia circulated a letter to the UN Security Council with a request to prevent Ukraine’s provocations against the Kakhovka HPP. However, there was no enthusiastic response to this.
“As a result, we have witnessed the catastrophe that Kyiv planned as part of its “counteroffensive”. <…> We call on the world community to strongly condemn the criminal actions of the Ukrainian authorities, which pose a serious threat to regional and global security. To indulge them — it will not end well. The most important thing is to prevent such a scenario in relation to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which the Ukrainians continue to regularly shell. The consequences could be catastrophic,” Ambassador Feoktistov summed up.
The terrorist act at the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station was committed on the night of June 6, which led to an uncontrolled discharge of water. As a result, dozens of settlements, including Kherson and New Kakhovka, were almost completely flooded. 46 people died, 122 people were injured.
On the fact of the destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station and the flooding of territories, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case on a terrorist attack.
On June 21, the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Alexander Kurenkov, reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that as a result of the terrorist attack, 2,000 people were saved and more than 8,000 were evacuated. Kurenkov added that 1,935 people are in 21 temporary accommodation centers, they are provided with the necessary assistance, food and basic necessities are provided.