The destruction from Russia of the Nova Kahovka hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine constitutes “genocide,” but Ukrainian and regional officials are working to ensure the safety of the region’s residents, the head of Ukraine’s presidential administration said, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urgently convened the Ukrainian Security Council today.

The head of the presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, also wrote on the Telegram messaging app, without elaborating, that Russia’s actions also pose a threat to the neighboring Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

In addition, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Croatia, Oleksii Danilov, said that President Zelenskiy will urgently convene the said council today after the explosion that occurred at the Nova Kahovka hydroelectric dam.

Zelensky tweeted video of the disaster saying:

“Russian terrorists. The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam confirms for the whole world that they must be expelled from every corner of the Ukrainian land. They must not have a yard left, because they use every yard for terror. It is only the victory of Ukraine that will return the security. And that victory will come. Terrorists will not be able to stop Ukraine with water, missiles or anything else.

All services are working. I have convened the National Security and Defense Council. Disseminate only official and verified information.”

Huge volume of water flows uncontrollably

The dam, thirty meters high and 3.2 kilometers long, was built in 1956 on the Dnieper, as part of the construction of a hydroelectric plant in Nova Kahovka.

They are in his reservoir 18 cubic kilometers of water and from it both the Crimean peninsula – annexed by Russia in 2014 – and the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, the largest in Europe, which needs an uninterrupted supply to cool its reactors, are supplied with water.

The opposing sides blamed each other for the destruction of the dam.

“The dam in Kakhovka was blown up by the Russian occupation forces,” the command of the southern sector of the Ukrainian army said on Facebook. The same source added that “the extent of the disaster, the speed and volume of the water and the areas that are likely to be flooded are being clarified.”

According to officials close to Moscow who spoke to Russian news agencies, the dam was shelled by the Ukrainians. An official stationed by Moscow in the region spoke of a “very serious terrorist act”, terminology that also refers to a Ukrainian attack.

The evacuation of communities in the area has already begunsaid Khersons regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

“Within five hours the water will have reached a critical level,” Mr Prokudin warned via Telegram at 06:45 [τοπική ώρα και ώρα Ελλάδας].

According to the Russian state news agency TASS, some 80 communities will need to be evacuated in the area.