Pretty sure most of us were.
The water volume of the Kakhovka reservoir behind the dam is 18.2 cubic km (14,800,000 acre⋅ft).
Russia wants that dam gone. Ukr. used it to greatly restrict the fresh water flow into Crimea in 2014, resulting in heavy crop loss to the region.
If the Russians are so worried about the Ukrainians blowing up the dam I’m sure we could very kindly help them by sending some forces to keep an eye on those tricksy Ukranians.
/s
Both possible, but in many ways I see “blow the damn” as the most likely. Probably with a follow-up of “attempt to blame the Ukrainians”.
Among other things, a flood doesn’t drift over their own territory the way radioactive fallout could/would, and while it will leave a mess rebuilding would be less problematic.
I question whether they were ever civilized by our definition.
Maybe not.
But I keep thinking of what my grandmother said, when she asked her children to, if it were ever possible, bring some soil from Russia to place on her grave in the USA. (My uncle was able to do this eventually – I’ve forgotten the year.)
She said, I was told, “Russia does not belong to Stalin.”
It doesn’t belong to Putin, either.
Or at least it shouldn’t; but of course in effect it does, if Russia itself allows that to continue.
As I see it, there are generally only three reasons to blow up infrastructure (e.g. a bridge, a dam, etc.):
- To impede the movement of an attacker.
- To inhibit supplies to a group under siege, in an attempt to starve them out.
- Because the enemy just happens to be on top of the infrastructure or would, otherwise, be destroyed as a side effect of destroying the infrastructure.
The only one of those that makes sense, for Ukraine to be the one to blow the dam, is #3. But they would need to do it before the Russian army leaves the city. Of course, I don’t expect them to do that and they could only do that if they were in control of the dam - which they probably aren’t, at the moment. If the dam blows, after the Russian army has retreated, then it wasn’t Ukraine.
For Russia, they have cause to blow the dam for goals 1 and 3. They could hinder Ukraine’s movement by destroying the city, and they could do serious damage to the Ukraine army if they tried to follow the Russian army downstream of the dam.
A good move for Russia would be to do something similar to putting a table between yourself and someone chasing you. The table’s in the way and no one can ever get the other person. Ukraine will need to move up-river of the dam, to chase the Russian army. During that time, the Russian army can just swing back into Kherson.
Ukraine will need to move East and try to pin the Russian army from both sides to try and prevent this maneuver. But that will mean splitting the army.
a very good and lengthy article on the genesis of the Wagner group … (not brand new but well worth the reading)
it seems like RU avoided fighting battles they knew they’d lose in Ukr so far … (Kiyew, Charkiv, Isyum, …)
so my guess is NO, they will stop fighting at some stage
#4. To further the program of destroying Ukrainian electric power stations, thus exacerbating European energy shortages this winter and creating a bigger rift between the EU and Ukraine (Ukraine would need emergency gas or electricity that the EU will not be able to spare).
There are now huge anti-NATO and anti-EU protests throughout Europe - likely egged on by Russia. And the full impact of the energy shortages has not been felt yet. Not even close. We will see how willing the EU is to prop up Ukraine’s energy in December and January when there are already rolling blackouts in Europe.
That’s #2 and would likewise be a goal for Russia, not Ukraine.
But I feel like you could destroy the hydroelectric systems without “blowing the dam”, so which they were going for would be determinable by whether they did a little boom or a big boom.
Or try something new - send him to our (Canada’s) arctic to work on sovereignty and development projects.
So, the idea is that Russians will blow the dam, thus flooding the region to inhibit further Ukrainian advances, and blame it on Ukraine?
It appears that Kherson is being evacuated to Russia. Ukrainian citizens, seems almost certain, by force, as has been done elsewhere. Where they will end up is nowhere good, they are prisoners. Apparently a lot of military are also leaving, with their stolen cars and trucks stuffed full of appliances and other loot.
I am guessing that the Russians are going to mine the city and then run for the mother country, leaving a hideous shambles, mass graves, evidence of torture, and the other shit they are now famous for.
That’s what I meant. Ukraine has no interest in splitting the EU or NATO.
Fascinating first hand account about living in occupied Kherson City
It’s a pity that nobody to speak of seems to be talking about this.
My preference would be to hold basically a re-run of the Nuremberg trials–but how could we get the Russians to cooperate?
Trial in absentia and a 5 billion dollar bounty if convicted.