Ukraine/Russland/NATO – Der Sammler am 6. Juni 2023: Neue Lage nach Staudamm-Sprengung

Die aktuelle Entwicklung im russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine macht einen aktuellen Sammler sinnvoll: Am (heutigen) Dienstag wurde das Wasserkraftwerk und damit auch die Staumauer des Kachowka-Staudamms bei Kherson im Süden der Ukraine gesprengt. Für die Zerstörung, die weitreichende Auswirkungen auf Menschen und Natur in der Region hat, machen sich Russland und die Ukraine gegenseitig verantwortlich – allerdings kontrollierten die russischen Streitkräfte den Damm. Der Sammler am 6. Juni 2023:

Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj berief Krisensitzungen ein, um die Folgen des Desasters einzuschätzen und Hilfsmaßnahmen einzuleiten:

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held an emergency meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NDSC)on the situation at the Kakhovka HPP. [Gemeint ist das Wasserkraftwerk des Kachowka-Damms] (…)
The NSDC members were told that around 2:50 am, the enemy blew up the structures of the Kakhovka HPP from inside. All emergency services and the military were immediately informed.
80 settlements are in the flood zone. (…) No civilian or military casualties were reported.
Instructions were given to evacuate civilians from the endangered areas and to provide drinking water to settlements dependent on the Kakhovka reservoir.
The NSDC members were informed that at least 150 tons of machine oil got into the Dnipro River, and there is a risk of further leakage of more than 300 tons.
The participants of the meeting agreed on a set of international measures, including convening a meeting of the UN Security Council, appealing to international environmental organizations and the International Criminal Court, as such actions of the Russians bear clear signs of violation of the Geneva Convention.
The members of the National Security and Defense Council were also briefed on the current situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Ukrainian personnel at the plant are keeping the situation under control and have the tools to deal with any developments.

Die russische Regierung hielt dagegen, Kreml-Sprecher Dimitri Peskow warf der Ukraine Sabotage vor, wie die russische Nachrichtenagentur TASS berichtet:

Ukraine has committed sabotage at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), and this could have grave consequences for the region’s residents as well as the environment, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
„The president receives reports through the Defense Ministry and other services on what is happening around the Kakhovka HPP. Here we can already say unequivocally that this is deliberate sabotage by the Ukrainian side,“ the Kremlin spokesman told reporters. (…)
The Kremlin spokesman also called it unmistakable that one of the goals of this act of sabotage was to deprive Crimea of water. „The water level in the reservoir is dropping, hence, the water supply to the [North Crimean] canal is drastically reduced,“ he added.
„Apparently, this sabotage is also due to the fact that, having launched large-scale offensive operations two days ago, the Ukrainian armed forces have been unable to achieve their aims. Their operations are stalled,“ the spokesman said.

Da die russischen Streitkräfte den Damm kontrollierten und zudem eine Überflutung der Gebiete südlich des Stausees zunächst ukrainischen Streitkräften einen Vorstoß erschwert, scheint allerdings eine russische Verantwortung für die Sprengung wahrscheinlicher – zumal die Ukraine massiv von einer Zerstörung der Infrastruktur betroffen ist.

Die internationale Atomenergieagentur IAEA gab – vorerst – Entwarnung für die Lage des Atomkraftwerks Saporischja, das sein Kühlwasser aus dem Staudamm bezieht. Aus dem Statement von IAEA-Generaldirektor Rafael Mariano Grossi (das Kürzel ZNPP steht für das Atomkraftwerk Saporischja):

Today the Nova Kakhovka dam was severely damaged leading to a significant reduction in the level of the reservoir used to supply cooling water to the ZNPP. (…)
Absence of cooling water in the essential cooling water systems for an extended period of time would cause fuel melt and inoperability of the emergency diesel generators.
However, our current assessment is that there is no immediate risk to the safety of the plant.
The IAEA staff on the site have been informed that the damage to the Nova Kakhovka dam is currently leading to about 5 cm/hour reduction in the height of the reservoir. The team continues to monitor this rate and all other matters on the site.
The main line of cooling water is fed from the reservoir and pumped up through channels near the thermal power plant to the site. It is estimated that the water through this route should last for a few days.
Water in the reservoir was at around 16.4 m at 8 am. If drops below 12.7 m then it can no longer be pumped. (…)
There are a number of alternative sources of water.
A main one is the large cooling pond next to the site that by design is kept above the height of the reservoir. As the reactors have been shut down for many months it is estimated that this pond will be sufficient to provide water for cooling for some months. The Agency will confirm this very shortly.
It is therefore vital that this cooling pond remains intact. Nothing must be done to potentially undermine its integrity.

Nachtrag: Der russische Verteidigungsminister Sergej Schoigu veröffentlichte am Dienstagnachmittag eine Stellungnahme (die nicht wie üblich von einem Sprecher verlesen wurde). Darin wird ebenfalls der Ukraine die Schuld für die Sprengung des Damms zugewiesen; zugleich bezeichnet Schoigu eine geplante ukrainische Offensive sehr detailliert als gescheitert:

Statement by Russian Minister of Defence General of Army Sergei Shoigu

Over three days, the Ukrainian regime launched a long-promised offensive in different areas of the front, concentrating large quantities of hardware and manpower for this purpose.

On 4 June 2023, the 23rd and 31st mechanised brigades of the AFU attempted an offensive in five directions.

The enemy did not succeed in any of them and suffered significant losses: 300 servicemen, 16 tanks, 26 armoured fighting vehicles, and 14 motor vehicles.

On 5 June 2023, the Kiev regime attempted an offensive in seven directions with five brigades. The enemy was stopped and suffered even greater losses: more than 1,600 troops, 28 tanks, including 8 Leopard tanks and 3 AMX-10 wheeled tanks, 136 other military vehicles, including 79 foreign-manufactured ones.

The attempted offensive was thwarted, the enemy was stopped, and Russian troops showed courage and heroism in the fighting.

I repeat that the enemy failed to achieve its goals, and suffered considerable and incomparable losses.

The units of the 433rd Motorised Rifle Regiment of the 127th Motorised Rifle Division, the 37th and 60th motorised rifle brigades distinguished themselves in battles, displaying persistence and fortitude.

The 3rd Company of the 37th Motorised Rifle Brigade under the command of Junior Lieutenant Yury Zhelanov and the commander of the 1st Battalion of the same brigade Major Vladimir Polozhentsev showed special heroism.

The divisions, having appeared on a direction of the main attack, steadfastly defended the occupied positions and have caused considerable losses to superior forces of the enemy’s 37th Marine Infantry Brigade. Under the threat of being surrounded, Junior Lieutenant Zhelanov, being wounded, led his company to previously equipped defensive positions, where he successfully stopped the advancing enemy units.

The skilful actions of our Operational-Tactical, Ground-Attack and Army aviation should be especially noted. They employed 50 anti-tank guided missiles. As a result, 5 tanks and 29 other armoured fighting vehicles were destroyed.

All in all during 3 days of fighting in all directions, the losses of the AFU amounted to 3,715 troops, 52 tanks, 207 armoured fighting vehicles, 134 motor vehicles, 5 aircraft, 2 helicopters, 48 pieces of field artillery, and 53 unmanned aerial vehicles.

Unfortunately, we have some losses too. A total of 71 servicemen died and 210 were wounded in repelling the enemy offensive by the combined group of forces. Fifteen tanks, 9 infantry fighting vehicles, 2 motor vehicles, and 9 guns were hit.

Tonight, the Kiev regime committed another terrorist crime: the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station facilities were blown up, flooding a large area. The purpose of these actions is reportedly as follows.

Having failed to succeed in the offensive operations, the enemy intends to redeploy the units and hardware from Kherson direction to its offensive area in order to strengthen its potential, significantly weakening its position in Kherson direction. The enemy has begun building defensive positions on the right bank of the Dnepr River, which indicates the intention to turn to defence there.

In order to prevent Russia’s offensive actions in this section of the front, the Kiev regime has carried out a sabotage, essentially a terrorist act, which has resulted in the flooding of significant areas and will have serious and long-lasting environmental consequences.

In addition, the release of water from the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station, according to available data, has been significantly increased, leading to even greater flooding of areas.

fact proves that the large-scale diversion was planned in advance by the Kiev regime.