Zelenskyy: Russian attacks on Ukrainian hydro plants could trigger environmental disaster

During a massive overnight assault, the Russian army attacked the Kaniv and Dniester hydroelectric power plants, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram on March 29.

This aggressive move, Zelenskyy suggested, aims to instigate an environmental disaster akin to a previous incident in Kherson Oblast, with potential repercussions extending to Moldova.

"Last night, the Kaniv and Dniester hydroelectric power plants were intentionally targeted by the enemy," Zelenskyy stated in his message.

Read also: Dnipro HPP missile attack: environmental damage estimated at over $3.5 million

Zelenskyy elaborated on the broader implications of these attacks, emphasizing the risk not just to Ukraine but also to neighboring Moldova. "The terrorist state is attempting to recreate the environmental catastrophe witnessed in Kherson Oblast. This time, the threat looms over not only Ukraine but Moldova as well. Water knows no boundaries, and the same goes for the Russian conflict unless we collectively halt it in Ukraine promptly and decisively."

Read also: Dnipro HPP restoration will take years - Ukrhydroenergo

The bombing of the Kakhovka HPP in June 2023: an environmental disaster in Kherson Oblast

Russian occupation forces detonated the dam of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant overnight on June 5-6, 2023. About 16,000 people and about 80 settlements were affected by the disaster. More than 30 people died. The Office of the Prosecutor General launched a pre-trial investigation over ecocide and violations of the laws and customs of war.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine