**Russian Military Blamed for Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant Explosion**
In June 2023, a massive explosion occurred at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in Ukraine. Evidence suggests that Russian military forces, who controlled the plant at the time, were responsible for the blast.
The east bank of Kherson Oblast was severely affected by the flooding caused by the explosion. The area is lower down the river and suffered more than the west bank. Dozens of settlements and summer homes, where thousands of people lived, were submerged in water.
**Russian Authorities Downplayed the Disaster**
Representatives of the Russian occupying forces did not take the situation seriously and refused to evacuate civilians from the area. In contrast, local volunteers and residents took matters into their own hands to rescue those in need.
**Investigation Reveals Wider Scope of Humanitarian Crisis**
A team from The Kyiv Independent conducted an investigation into the disaster and spoke with 50 individuals who experienced the flooding firsthand. Their testimonies paint a picture of a broader humanitarian crisis, where Russia failed to use sufficient resources to save civilians and even obstructed local efforts to evacuate people.
The investigation also found that there were likely many more victims than officially reported by Russian authorities. The bodies of the dead were buried in several settlements in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, with some victims’ burials remaining unknown.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
