New Facts The Giant Dam Explodes, Russia is in a Fog
- New facts emerged about the explosion of the giant dam, Nova Kakhovka, in Ukraine. The Russian troops were said to have been swept away by the flood waters and frantically fled to the banks of the Dipro River. Published by CNN International, Ukrainian troops witnessed how it happened. Many Russian soldiers were killed and injured because of the chaos.
"When the dam collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday morning nobody on the Russian side could escape," said an officer in the Ukrainian armed forces Captain Andrei Pidlisnyi, quoted Thursday (8/6/2023).
"All the regiments that the Russians have on that side are flooded," he stressed. Pidlisnyi said he was sure that Russia had deliberately attacked the dam, although this was previously denied by Russia, which pointed back at Kyiv. This is to dispel plans of Ukrainian troops to carry out retaliatory attacks in the near future.
"At about 3 am, the enemy blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station to raise the water level to flood the approach and left bank of the Dnipro River, as well as the settlements located there," he said. "And to make it impossible for the Ukrainian armed forces to advance in the future," he claimed.
He also explained that the location of the land around the river made the Russian military, which is located on the east bank, suffer an impact. His unit can witness events unfolding through the use of drones and troops on the scene.
"The left (east) bank is lower than the right bank, so it is more flooded. The enemy positions right on the river bank are also flooded. You need to understand that the enemy positions are not only in the trenches but also the ordinary civilian houses where they live," Pidlisnyi said.
"Russian units that were in danger may not have been warned, perhaps to maintain an element of surprise," Pidlisnyi said. The gigantic dam, Nova Kakhovka, exploded Tuesday. The collapse of a dam in southern Ukraine has sparked fears of an ecological disaster. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, published by CNBC International, described the situation as an "environmental bomb of mass destruction". Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, as written by AFP, called the dam explosion a barbaric act.
Pictured: The Soviet-era Nova Khakovka Dam in southern Ukraine burst after being rocked by an explosion. The bursting of the dam caused flooding in the surrounding area. (Doc. Embassy of Ukraine)
The Soviet-era Nova Khakovka dam in southern Ukraine burst after being rocked by an explosion. The bursting of the dam caused flooding in the surrounding area. (Doc. Embassy of Ukraine)
Data late Wednesday showed water levels continued to rise after the Russian-occupied dam burst, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,400 people so far. Vital water supplies are threatened as floods inundate cities and farmland.
It should be noted that this side of the Dnipro was originally home to 100,000 people. But due to the war, the numbers dwindled away. On the other hand, the explosion of the giant dam triggered a reaction from a number of countries, including China. President Xi Jinping's country admits that it is very concerned about the collapse of the dam, especially regarding the potential for nuclear disaster. China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun told the Security Council that Nova Kakhovka is the main source of cooling water for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP). Zhang noted that the water in the reservoir continues to recede and it will be impossible to continue pumping water to the nuclear power plant in the future.
"China reiterates that in the event of a nuclear disaster no one can remain immune," Zhang was quoted as saying by Russia Today. "We call for maximum restraint, avoiding words and deeds that could escalate confrontation and lead to miscalculations, and safeguard the safety and security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," he added.
"No side, especially countries with important influence, should stoke the fire and escalate tensions, let alone try to profit from the escalating crisis to advance their own strategic agenda," he said.
The dam has a height of 30 meters with a length of 3.2 km and holds water equivalent to the Great Salt Lake in the state of Utah, United States of America (US). Since its construction in 1956 on the Dnipro river, it has been used as a power station for Kakhovka as well as the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Fakta Baru Bendungan Raksasa Meledak, Rusia Kalang Kabut
- Fakta baru muncul soal meledaknya bendungan raksasa, Nova Kakhovka, di Ukraina. Pasukan Rusia disebut hanyut tersapu air banjir dan kalang kabut melarikan diri ke tepi Sungai Dipro.
Dimuat CNN International, pasukan Ukraina menyaksikan bagaimana itu terjadi. Banyak tentara Rusia tewas dan terluka karena kekacauan itu.
"Ketika bendungan runtuh pada dini hari Selasa pagi tidak ada seorang pun di pihak Rusia yang bisa melarikan diri," kata seorang perwira angkatan bersenjata Ukraina Kapten Andrei Pidlisnyi, dikutip Kamis (8/6/2023).
"Semua resimen yang dimiliki Rusia di sisi itu kebanjiran," tegasnya.
Pidlisnyi mengaku yakin Rusia sengaja menyerang bendungan itu, meski sebelumnya dibantah Rusia yang balik menuding Kyiv. Ini untuk menghalau rencana pasukan Ukraina melakukan serangan pembalasan dalam waktu dekat.
"Sekitar pukul 3 pagi, musuh meledakkan Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Air (PLTA) Kakhovka untuk menaikkan permukaan air agar membanjiri pendekatan dan tepi kiri Sungai Dnipro, serta permukiman yang terletak di sana," ujarnya lagi.
"Dan untuk membuat angkatan bersenjata Ukraina tidak mungkin maju di masa depan," klaimnya.
Ia pun menjelaskan bahwa letak tanah di sekitar sungai membuat militer Rusia, yang terletak di tepi timur, menderita dampak. Unitnya dapat menyaksikan peristiwa yang terjadi melalui penggunaan drone dan pasukan di tempat kejadian.
"Tepi (timur) kiri lebih rendah dari tepi kanan, jadi lebih banjir. Posisi musuh tepat di tepi sungai juga kebanjiran. Anda perlu memahami bahwa posisi musuh tidak hanya di parit tetapi juga rumah sipil biasa tempat mereka tinggal," kata Pidlisnyi lagi.
"Unit-unit Rusia yang berada dalam bahaya mungkin tidak diperingatkan, mungkin untuk menjaga unsur kejutan," ujar Pidlisnyi. Bendungan raksasa, Nova Kakhovka, meledak Selasa. Runtuhnya bedungan di Selatan Ukraina itu telah memicu kekhawatiran akan bencana ekologis.
Presiden Ukraina Volodymyr Zelensky, dimuat CNBC International, menggambarkan situasi tersebut sebagai "bom lingkungan pemusnah massal". Sementara Presiden Rusia Vladimir Putin, sebagaimana ditulis AFP, menyebut ledakan bendungan sebagai tindakan barbar.
Foto: Bendungan Nova Khakovka era Uni Soviet di wilayah Ukraina bagian selatan jebol setelah diguncang ledakan. Jebolnya bendungan itu mengakibat banjir di wilayah sekitarnya. (Dok. Kedubes Ukraina)
Bendungan Nova Khakovka era Uni Soviet di wilayah Ukraina bagian selatan jebol setelah diguncang ledakan. Jebolnya bendungan itu mengakibat banjir di wilayah sekitarnya. (Dok. Kedubes Ukraina)
Data Rabu malam menunjukkan ketinggian air yang terus meningkat setelah bendungan yang diduduki Rusia itu jebol dan memaksa lebih dari 1.400 orang dievakuasi sejauh ini. Pasokan air vital terancam karena banjir menggenangi kota-kota dan lahan pertanian.
Perlu diketahui sisi sungai Dnipro tersebut awalnya dihuni 100.000 orang. Namun akibat perang, angkanya menyusut jauh. Di sisi lain, meledaknya bendungan raksasa itu memicu reaksi sejumlah negara termasuk China. Negeri Presiden Xi Jinping mengaku sangat prihatin tentang runtuhnya bendungan terutama terkait potensi petaka nuklir.
Duta Besar China untuk PBB, Zhang Jun, kepada Dewan Keamanan mengatakan bahwa Nova Kakhovka adalah sumber utama air pendingin untuk pembangkit listrik nuklir (PLTN) Zaporizhzhia. Zhang menyebut bahwa air di reservoir terus surut dan tidak mungkin untuk terus memompa air ke pembangkit listrik tenaga nuklir di masa mendatang.
"China menegaskan kembali bahwa jika terjadi bencana nuklir tidak ada yang bisa tetap kebal," kata Zhang dikutip Russia Today. "Kami menyerukan pengekangan maksimal, menghindari kata-kata dan perbuatan yang dapat meningkatkan konfrontasi dan menyebabkan salah perhitungan, serta menjaga keselamatan dan keamanan pembangkit listrik tenaga nuklir Zaporizhzhia," tambahnya.
"Tidak ada pihak, terutama negara-negara dengan pengaruh penting yang boleh mengobarkan api dan meningkatkan ketegangan, apalagi mencoba mengambil untung dari krisis yang meluas untuk memajukan agenda strategis mereka sendiri," jelasnya.
Bendungan itu memiliki tinggi 30 meter dengan panjang 3,2 km dan menampung air yang setara dengan Great Salt Lake di negara bagian Utah, Amerika Serikat (AS). Sejak dibangun tahun 1956 di sungai Dnipro, ini dimanfaatkan sebagai pembangkit listrik Kakhovka dan juga Semenajung Krimea, yang dianeksasi Rusia di 2014.
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