The Ukrainian security service apparently intercepted a Russian phone call. In it, a soldier tells of the blowing up of the dam – by Russian saboteurs.
Kakhovka – After the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the Kherson war zone, it is still unclear how the catastrophe in the Ukraine war came about. Russia accuses Ukraine of partially blowing up the dam. Ukraine accuses Russia of mining and destroying the dam. An intercepted Russian phone call is now supposed to prove Russia's guilt. What's behind it?
Destruction of Kakhovka dam: Ukrainian security service intercepts phone call
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) released a one-and-a-half-minute audio clip on Telegram on Friday, Reuters and The Guardian report in agreement. It is said to be an intercepted phone call from Russia. Two men are apparently discussing in Russian the aftermath of the Kakhovka disaster.
One of the men, described by the SBU as part of the Russian military, is supposed to confirm that it was not Ukraine, but a Russian sabotage group that was responsible for the destruction of the dam. "Our people did it. It wasn't theirs, it was ours," The Guardian translates the conversation. He continued: "Our sabotage group is there. They wanted to spread fear with this dam. It didn't go according to plan. It went more than planned," says the same man. The interlocutor was apparently surprised by this information, according to the reports. The origin and authenticity of the clip could not be independently verified.
- The events surrounding the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam:
- The Kakhovka Dam is located in the Russian-occupied territory.
- It had been partially destroyed on Tuesday night. Local residents heard explosions.
- Large amounts of water leaked and flooded vast areas of southern Ukraine.
- Thousands of people had to leave their homes.
- Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the explosion.
After the blowing up of the Kakhovka dam: SBU initiates investigations – against Putin and simple perpetrators
The SBU published the audio clip and a short statement, but did not further classify who the two men were. The SBU only stated that it had opened a criminal investigation into war crimes. "The invaders wanted to blackmail Ukraine by blowing up the dam and staged a man-made catastrophe in the south of our country," the SBU said on Telegram.
Russia has thus proven that it is a "threat to the entire civilized world," SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk is quoted as saying in the statement. Not only the "leaders of the Putin regime, but also the ordinary perpetrators" should be brought to justice. Russia has not yet commented on the content of the video.
Russia, Ukraine or accident? Three possible causes of destruction of the Kakhovka dam
At the current time (June 9), there are three possibilities for how the destruction of the dam, which also causes problems for Russia, came about. Ukraine and many international experts hold Russia responsible. Kiev is convinced that the aggressor wanted to hinder Ukraine's planned counteroffensive. Some experts speculate that the dam could not be destroyed by external shelling and therefore suspect manipulation by Russia.
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After the partial destruction of the Kakhovka dam, people in the Kherson war zone are trying to save themselves from the water. © Alexei Konovalov/Imago
Moscow rejects this and blames Ukraine. At Moscow's request, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been dealing with the allegations of damage to the Kakhovka dam since Thursday. A ruling by the ICC is not expected for several months or even years. Experts, after analyzing satellite images, also consider it possible that the dam was poorly maintained during the occupation by Russia, and therefore burst under the pressure of the water masses. All developments around the Kakhovka dam can be found in the news ticker. (chd/dpa/AFP)