Maxar satellite imagery BEFORE the damage to the Nova Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine. Please use: Satellite image (c) 2023 Maxar Technologies.
Maxar Technologies | Getty Images
An international team of investigators released a new report on Thursday, stating that the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine was most likely a deliberate act carried out by Russian forces.
The report concludes that explosives were strategically placed within the dam’s structure, leading to its collapse, as explained by Catriona Murdoch, an expert in starvation-related crimes who was part of the initial delegation sent to assess the situation.
According to Murdoch, this attack on the dam may be considered a war crime, as dams should not be targeted if it would result in significant civilian casualties. Even if military objectives are located near dams, they should not be attacked if it would knowingly cause severe harm to civilian populations.
Both Russia and Ukraine have exchanged blame for the explosion at the dam, which occurred in the predawn hours. This incident has caused the worst ecological disaster in Ukraine since the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown, resulting in flooding of more than 80 settlements in the Kherson region and at least 27 fatalities, according to Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko.
The investigation revealed that the destruction of the dam has had devastating consequences for the region, leading to a dire situation of starvation. Yousuf Syed Khan, a senior lawyer at Global Rights Compliance who participated in the investigation, described it as a “horrific starvation crime” affecting the Kherson region’s agribusiness and livelihoods.
The team of investigators, consisting of legal experts, military professionals, and researchers, also found evidence that Russian forces targeted flooding evacuation points and prevented citizens from leaving areas with rising waters.
The report was published by the Mobile Justice Team, a component of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group. This advisory group receives funding from the U.S. State Department, the European Union, and the U.K.’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
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