Ukraine war: international alarm grows after Nova Kakhovka dam destroyed
- Floodwaters continue to swell in southern Ukraine a day after breach of the Nova Kakhovka dam
- Kyiv and Moscow have traded blame for the dam break, which has added a new dimension to the war
Washington warned there would be “likely many deaths” and a Chinese envoy expressed “grave concern” as Moscow and Kyiv traded blame for ripping a gaping hole in the Nova Kakhovka dam, which is located on the front line and provides cooling water for Europe’s largest nuclear plant.
Kyiv said the destruction of the dam – seized by Russia in the early hours of the war – was an attempt by Moscow to hamper its long-awaited offensive, which Ukraine’s leader stressed would not be affected.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday proposed, in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, creating an international commission to probe the destruction of the dam, his office reported.
“President Erdogan said that a commission could be established with the participation of experts from the warring parties, the United Nations and the international community, including Turkey, for a detailed investigation into the explosion at Kakhovka dam,” his office said after the call.
The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday following requests from Russia and Ukraine.