The attack on the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station (HPP) was part of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, military expert Yuriy Knutov believes. In a conversation with Lenta.ru, he assessed how the destruction of the energy facility would affect the military campaign in Kyiv, and listed the consequences for Russian defense.

This is included in the counteroffensive plans, because the line of defense that ran along the left bank of the Dnieper was actually washed away.

Yuri Knutovmilitary expert

“The water level rose by almost 12 meters, flooded the left bank, which belongs to the Russian Federation. The right bank is higher, there is almost no flooding. There is no doubt that Ukraine struck, why should Russia hit its own locks? From a military point of view, this water flooded our minefields and fortifications along the coast. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) now have the opportunity to conduct a landing operation to seize the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and land troops on the right bank of the Dnieper. But all this is possible if we do not have a second line of defense in the depths. If it is, we have the opportunity to repel the attack, ”he explained.

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On the morning of June 6, the mayor of Novaya Kakhovka, Vladimir Leontyev, reported that the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station had been destroyed as a result of the strike. The city and nearby settlements were flooded. Authorities began evacuating local residents. The Russian and Ukrainian side accused each other of the attack.

On the night of June 5, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Ukraine launched a large-scale counteroffensive. The department said that the Russian military were able to disrupt it.

Later, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar confirmed that Kyiv had moved to offensive operations in some areas.