Posted on 10/21/2022 9:31:33 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
The Institute for the Study of War said in its latest update that Russian forces will likely attempt to blow up the dam at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant to cover their withdrawal and prevent Ukraine's forces from pursuing Russian forces deeper into Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast.
According to the ISW, Russia "has every reason to attempt to provide cover to its retreating forces and to widen the Dnipro River, which Ukrainian forces would need to cross to continue their counteroffensive."
The ISW said Russian authorities may believe that blowing up the dam will provide a buffer zone around eastern Kherson Oblast that would prevent Ukraine from getting within artillery reach of Russian-occupied Crimea.
As the ISW previously reported, Russia will almost certainly blame Ukraine for any dam attack. Blowing up the dam would put more than 80 settlements, including Kherson, in the zone of rapid flooding, Zelensky said earlier on Oct. 20.
I’m going to guess that Russia may be planning to damage “only” the roadway and powerplant at Kakhovka Dam. The roadway to slow the Ukrainian Army if it tries to cross the river (to chase Russians?), the powerplant to further damage Ukraine’s electrical supply. Blowing the dam itself would cause the Russians many problems, including interrupting the water supply to Crimea.
1941 Josef Stalin’s secret police blew up Dnipro hydropower station in the southern city of Zaporizhzhya to slow the Nazi advance in Zaporizhzhia Obl. The tidal surge killed thousands of unsuspecting civilians, as well as Red Army officers who were crossing over the river.
The explosion flooded villages along the banks of the Dnieper River, killing thousands of civilians: The dam in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya is shown after being blown up by Stalin’s secret police in 1941. From 20,000 to 100,000 people died in the ensuing flood.
As Europe marks its Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism on August 23, a handful of Zaporizhzhya residents are battling for the recognition of the little-known wartime tragedy. Ukraine suffered heavy losses both during World War II and under Stalin.
The day, which is also known as Black Ribbon Day outside Europe, coincides with the ANNIVERSARY of the 1939 MOLOTOV-RIBBENTROP PACT OF NON-AGGRESSION between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.
**I GUESS JOSEF STALIN WAS ONLY JOKING WHEN HE SIGNED THAT NONAGGRESSION PACT
https://www.rferl.org/a/european-remembrance-day-ukraine-little-known-ww2-tragedy/25083847.html
And Steiner’s counterattack will save Ukraine.
On the other hand:
“Russia circulates letter on situation around Kakhova Hydroelectric Power Plant To UNSC”
Russia says Ukraine is staging a provocation (false flag) there...
https://tass.com/politics/1526031
The ISW board includes General Jack Keane, Kimberly Kagan, former US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft, William Kristol, former US Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Kevin Mandia, Jack D. McCarthy, Jr., Bruce Mosler, General David Petraeus, Warren Phillips, and William Roberti.[16] Previous and current members of the ISW’s corporate council include Raytheon, Microsoft, Palantir, General Motors, General Dynamics, and Kirkland & Ellis.[17][18][8]
via Wikipedia
WATCH: Archival footage of the power station attack
https://flashvideo.rferl.org/Videoroot/Pangeavideo/2013/08/a/aa/aacb508d-a8d6-4f05-8b06-f038ab696ad7.mp4
‘People Were Screaming’
“Survivor Oleksiy Dotsenko says the Dnieper turned red that day.
His account, recorded four years ago by the television channel 1+1, is one of the last remaining testimonies of the tragedy.
“People were screaming for help. Cows were mooing, pigs were squealing. People were climbing on trees,” he recalled.”
OTOH, if Russia does blow the dam and flood Kherson, not only do they create a lot of tactical and maybe strategic problems for themselves, they’ve ramped up the war crimes big time. The Geneva Conventions very clearly ban such an action by an occupying or invader force. This one would essentially be WMD level.
Ukraine doesn’t have the means to take out that dam as long as it is under Russian control.
Putin is making friends all over these days.
Putins thinking:
After shelling multiple nuclear/electric plants; Russian [ships in area of explosions] causing Nord Stream pipeline leaks, ...
Why not blow up the damn to cover withdrawal from Kherson!
Flip a coin..
Who’s the most rottenest bastards on earth? Russia , or the PRC?
And the story came from the KievIndependent website. Might as well be from Zelenskyy’s office. 🤦♀️
Makes sense. As the Democrats do, they have been warning that the Ukrainians would likely blow it up as a cover for doing it.
Key words are “will likely attempt,” “has every reason to attempt,” “may believe,” and “will almost certainly blame Ukraine.” How is this news? It’s pure speculation meant to persuade ppl, which is otherwise known as “propaganda.”
Exactly. I can’t believe there are people here just lapping it up without question.
Ah, the power of propaganda.
Oh, puh-lease! Why would Russia blow up its own pipeline? And since the investigation is still ongoing, what you’re spouting is pure speculation and not a fact.
Sounds like ‘admission by projection’ to me.
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