Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday announced the opening of an investigation by the International Criminal Court in The Hague into Russia's explosion of the Nova Kakhovka Dam, causing widespread flooding and an unprecedented humanitarian and ecological tragedy.
According to President Zelenskyy, during his regular nightly address, the International Criminal Court sent a representative to Kherson Oblast, the province hit by the flooding created by the dam explosion, to examine the situation on the ground.
"Already on the first day after the disaster, the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine sent a request to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to investigate the disaster, and work on this has already begun," the president said, adding, "It is important that the representatives of the court see the results of this disaster, as well as the shelling of the Russian army on the search and rescue forces."
Kherson, Ukraine, Photo: Neta Bar
Zelensky said 4,000 people had been rescued by Ukrainian authorities and volunteers from areas hit by the floods, including Russian-controlled areas on the east bank of the Dnipro River.
On Sunday, three people were killed during the evacuation of civilians from the Russian-controlled area after the Russian army began shelling the evacuees. Two Ukrainian policemen were wounded in the shooting. A senior Kherson police official confirmed to Israel Hayom that the casualties were members of the local police force.
Rescue of civilians from the floods in Kherson,
Meanwhile, despite the devastating disaster in Kherson Oblast, the Ukrainian army continues to advance in Donetsk Oblast as part of its counteroffensive against the Russian army. Ukrainian army forces liberated the villages of Blahudtana, Neskochna and Makrivka. In the area of the town of Orkhiv in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukrainian forces have also made some progress, but the extent is unclear due to conflicting reports.
Rescue of civilians from flooding in Kherson, Photo: AP
A source in the Ukrainian army, which is now on the Donetsk front, told Israel Hayom: "We are advancing slowly and cautiously. Progress is consistent. The Russians are well entrenched and very adept at defensiveness. But we are putting pressure on the Russians on several fronts, and because of the weather, the Russian Air Force is having trouble intervening. Their situation is very uncomfortable at the moment and we will take advantage of that."
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