Just helping to spread this.
From contacts in and around the area of the dam, working on evacuations. This a massive catastrophe now.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtJWXcIpQVU/?igshid=ZWQyN2ExYTkwZQ==
From my colleague:
"My dear friend Eugene is currently already in Kherson, evacuating people, from this morning he rushed to the flooding villages on the bank. His work is essential and supported by Legacy of War foundation as well as Angelina Jolie. Eugene will not use your money to take vacation in Greece but to fill the two ambulances with gasoline. Linked is a video of this morning work.
Please support here (5€ is 50km of gasoline) - the team need to do back and forth from villages to hospitals
Monobank: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/5y9oaTracR
Other way to donate and website: https://www.helpukraine.casers.org
If reports that explosions were heard before the collapse last night are credible then I think possibility #3 can be ruled out.
Just to balance out the picture of him above.
Hopefully this is true
+
Where are they? Don't see a single person saying anything like that and humans destroying the environment is a completely separate issue to this war.
Absolutely nothing to do with Ukraine though. You sound like you have an axe to grind. Perhaps grind it in a relevant thread.
Fu*kers.
From The Guardian: "Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine’s interior minister, claims that Russia is shelling areas in southern Kherson where people are being evacuated, leaving two police officers wounded. “The Russian military continue to shell territory where evacuation measures are being carried out. An hour ago, two police officers were wounded in the area. Shelling continues at the moment,” Klymenko told Ukrainian television."
Instead of speculation of who would gain most over this, lets look at the facts so far..
The damage to the dam is on the Russian controlled side of the dam.
If Ukraine was responsible for this then they would have had to be able to covertly send a team in and plant explosives right under the noses of the Russians, or shelled the area precisely to cause this to happen.
I think until more evidence comes to light this looks far more likely either an accident or caused by the Russians.
We will just have to wait to see what else comes out in the comming days about this.
You did not read the post correctly. Either way, it is a completely separate issue.
Two things struck me about Putin mounting and riding a horse
(1) he could not locate the right stirrup. A seasoned rider would locate it instantly without looking down at it. Just come with experience . He had to be assisted.
(2) he held the rope/reins the wrong way IMO. My father always told me to catch the reins as follows - as it comes from the headgear /sinkers / bit it enters your hand at the little finger and exits at the thumb side of the closed hand with the thumb pressed down on the reins. This gives a more firm grasp of the reins to steer the horse , etc.
So much for giving the impression that he is a seasoned all rounder.
and while I’m on horses , anybody out there interested in how you. Release a horse in a field after a days work/ jumping. ?
Next thing you're gonna tell me he really didn't happen to stumble across some 1500 year old jugs while scuba diving on his holidays
You think that Putin is not capable of giving what you call "Tall Orders" Timmy?
Eh?
Is this a thinly veiled accusation or am I just knockin about your noggin?
Quotes from an FT piece on why Russia are the main beneficiaries from this on a strategic level:
But some military analysts and Ukrainian officials say the timing of the dam’s destruction is suspicious, as it largely benefits Russia, by scuppering Kyiv’s plans to attack to the south and increasing the likelihood of an eastward offensive that Moscow could focus on.
“Russia benefits from the frontline being smaller because it is easier to concentrate forces to prevent a breakthrough,” said Rob Lee, senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a US think-tank. “So if a Ukrainian operation in Kherson is less likely now, they might be able to move more forces east.”
A Ukrainian military official speaking on condition of anonymity said officials were assessing the damage caused by the flooding and would adjust their counteroffensive plans accordingly.
“If we had any plans for a landing operation there, we definitely won’t do it anytime soon,” they said. “Immediately after [the flooding], the land will be a marsh, essentially.”
Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a military adviser and former Ukrainian defence minister, said it was likely that Kyiv’s generals “have alternative plans”. The flooding may be a setback, he said, but it won’t stop Ukraine’s counter-offensive.
“If we wanted to cross the river there, it’s not going to happen,” he added. “Basically, it denies any ability for us to cross the river and move equipment in that area. Essentially, that’s why most likely Russia did it, particularly now.”
source
Shur he probably put it there himself
Indeed it's either an accident or the dam was deliberately blown by the Russians. It was known since last year that the Russians, who controlled the dam, had it mined. Reports of explosions last night lend weight that it wasn't an accident.
The Ukrainians can be ruled out because it makes no military or strategic sense whatsoever for them. Their only route on that entire flank for a military offensive has been wiped out, not to mention essentially destroying that entire area, putting Ukrainians lives, livelihoods, business at risk, massive destruction to their country for no gain, not to mention the dangers to the nuclear plant.
Crimea loses a water supply but they got by 8 years without it.
Even in a strategic retreat scenario I don't think Ukraine would blow it either. They don't do the whole scorched earth russia does. I mean stuff like this takes years to rebuild. On top of that your own people suffering with no actual need.
Whilst I agree that 100% certainty is not possible - if it walks like a duck and looks like a duck and quacks like a duck... then it's a duck.
You are bending over backwards and arse ways to find some other explanation.
Russia will be held guilty of this abominable act unless proven otherwise and that is pretty unlikely.
The stirrups are under his toes not under the ball of big toe (his foot is too far back in the stirrup)
The boots he is wearing are dangerous, there are huge grips on them, you fall off a horse with those boots on you will never get your foot out of the stirrup and will be dragged.
His elbows are sticking out like chicken wings and the reins are held under his ribs, how the hell do you control a horse with that long a reign? Dislocate your shoulders to pull the reigns backwards perhaps?
The man had clearly never sat on a horse before.
Its fairly hard to destroy a dam, the damage might not be too bad.
Dam is not destroyed. The lock, Spillway or what technical term is damaged and has a hole in it letting water out uncontrolled.
Did you just wake up? Go see some actual news of it.
Iran claims it’s new Fattah hypersonic missile can’t be intercepted by regional defense systems. Everyone roll your eyes harder.
Looks like the dam had increasing damage over the previous week, and had already started crumbling
It's going to be causing economic losses in that region for decades to come.
I would be very very surprised and a bit shocked if the Ukrainians hadn't wargamed out the scenario of the dam being blown.
Doesn't the water pouring over like that quickly slice through the dam below.
I don't think this was an intentional act by either side.
Most likely the dam failed due to damage and poor maintenance. Key mechanisms incl dam gates were damaged by Ukrainian shelling in 2022. These are used to regulate the water level. They were never repaired, as a result the water level progressively got too high. In May it was reported to be at a 30 year high. It got too high and bust the dam.
My statement was about Putin's willingness to order horrendous actions while trying to fulfil his dream of creating a Russian empire that never existed, except in his head. and you interpret that as a " Thinly veiled accusation?" And No, Timmy, it would take an awful lot more than your comment to " Knock about in my noggin", and TBH, I'd be more inclined to wonder is my comment knocking about in your noggin, given your interpretation of it???
Too convenient that it burst due lack of maintenance in the same week that its rumoured the counter offensive finally kicks off.
Other posters have explained the possible benefits to them.
But even without that, let's put this line of argument to bed when it comes to Russia.
Why did Russia send its own troops through contaminated zone in Chernobyl?
Why did Russia impound civilian aircraft which are now decaying away?
Makes no sense at all - this is not a valid argument when it comes to Russian actions.
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