In late October 2022, Ukrainian officials expressed concerns that Russian forces would attack the dam in a false flag operation. A few days later, Russia blamed three explosions at the power plant on Ukrainian-fired HIMARS missiles. Then on November 11, 2022, as Russian forces retreated from Kherson, they destroyed seven bridges in the region.. This included the roadway atop the Kakhovka dam and the adjacent railroad bridge. The blast damaged three sluice gates from which satellite imagery showed water actively flowing in what Ukranian Military Center described as "waterfalls". Shortly after the blast, the Russians opened a few more sluice gates, allowing the reservoir level to go down.
At the time, various area officials speculated the Russians may have been trying to flood the downstream areas to complicate the advancement of Ukrainian forces. By February 2023, the reservoir had fallen to its lowest level in at least 30 years, but then the water steadily rose until by May 25, 2023, the sluice gates had been closed and water was overtopping the dam.
- ^ Brugen, Isabel van (2022-10-24). "Russian media says Ukraine's HIMARS hit hydroelectric power plant". Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- Meyer, Amy Woodyatt,Kathleen Magramo,Andrew Raine,Adrienne Vogt,Matt (2022-11-11). "November 11, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news". Retrieved 2023-06-06.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Damage to Russian-occupied dam submerges Ukrainian reservoir island community". AP NEWS. 25 May 2023. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- "Ukrainian dam breach: What is happening and what's at stake". 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- "Russian army blows up part of the Kakhovka HPP dam". Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Russia is draining a massive Ukrainian reservoir, endangering a nuclear plant". NPR. 10 February 2023. Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.