Why Russia Blasted the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant: Comments from Ukraine

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar stated that Russia blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant to prevent the Ukrainian Armed Forces from launching an attack towards Kherson. According to Malyar, the Russian command is transferring its most combat-capable units from Kherson to the directions of Zaporizhzhia and Bakhmut.

Malyar believes that the Russian command has realized its inability to deter the Ukrainian offensive in various directions, which is why the hydroelectric power plant was detonated. “The command of the Russian occupation forces has decided to 'constrict' the geography of potential active operations by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The explosion of the Kakhovka HPP was evidently carried out to prevent an assault by the Ukrainian Defense Forces towards Kherson and to free up necessary reserves for movements towards Zaporizhzhia and Bakhmut,” noted the Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine.

It is worth recalling that both the Russian and Ukrainian sides blame each other for the explosion of the Kakhovka HPP.