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The explosion of the dam at Nowa Kachowka caused massive damage. The flooding from the outflowing reservoir has flooded many Ukrainian cities. Thousands of people lost their belongings. It is still unclear who the perpetrators are.
For Kiev, it is clear that the Kremlin committed the assassination to prevent the Ukrainian troops from crossing over and thus prevent the counter-offensive. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (45) does not see the counter-offensive in danger. On Tuesday, he said in a video message: “The disaster at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, caused by Russian terrorists, will not stop Ukraine and the Ukrainians.”
Does Ukraine have a surprise in store?
But how does he intend to continue the offensive across the river? Crossing the river, which is now even wider, is not entirely impossible, especially since Germany has supplied Ukraine with the Biber armored bridge-laying vehicle, which can also carry main battle tanks.
Military expert Ralph D. Thiele (69) of the Institute for Strategic, Political, Security and Economic Advice (ISPSW) in Berlin points out: “The river, which has been extra widened by the flooded area, cannot be crossed in danger. In addition, due to the rising groundwater level, the environment is insurmountable for the heavy tanks anyway.”
Thiele believes that there is no suitable alternative option for the Ukrainian army to move to the other bank. “If there are, they would be an important element of surprise.”
offensive elsewhere
Thiele therefore believes that the Ukrainian army should reconsider its overall planning for the counteroffensive. “She must now shift her focus to the East.” The aim was to reclaim as much occupied territory as possible by bypassing the Russian formations and driving a wedge into the occupied territories.
Thiele assumes that the Ukrainians tested approaches and then chose the path that promised the most success. Thiele: “Experience shows that you have to prepare for surprising developments.”
The pressure on Ukraine is increasing
Ukraine must in any case carry out the counter-offensive, says Thiele. Because a successful counter-offensive could increase Putin’s willingness to negotiate and push him to seek a face-saving peace deal.
On the other hand, a failed offensive could lead Western allies to doubt Ukraine’s victory and push for a ceasefire. Especially since the attack on the Nord Stream 2 has become more topical again. Thiele: “If the reports currently circulating about Ukrainian authorship of the attack on the gas pipeline are correct, the pressure on this point is expected to increase in the near future.”
80 cities affected
On Tuesday, the dam at Nowa Kachowka was destroyed, after which the 18 billion cubic meter lake began to empty. 80 cities are in the danger zone. In the flooded villages, the water continued to rise on Wednesday. People waded to safety in the water. Rescue workers carried elderly people who cannot walk to dry places.
Given the evidence and arguments, experts at the US Institute for War Studies (ISW) in Washington believe that Russia deliberately destroyed the dam. At the same time, they point out that a definitive assessment of responsibility is currently not possible.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
