Is the Kyiv hydroelectric power station under threat? Is it possible to blow up the capital’s dam and what consequences can Kyiv residents expect?
15 July 2024 16:00
ЕКСКЛЮЗИВ
on 12 July, during her briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Ukraine was allegedly preparing to destroy the dams of the Kyiv hydroelectric power station and the Kaniv reservoir “for another provocation against Russia”. This statement was immediately denied by the National Security and Defence Council’s Disinformation Countermeasures Centre. According to them, the aggressor country continues its attempts to destabilise the situation in Ukraine as part of the disinformation operation “Mir”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Zakharova’s statement “absurd” and completely denied it.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine categorically denies the absurd Russian accusations that the Ukrainian authorities are allegedly preparing to blow up the dams of the Kyiv hydroelectric power station, Kaniv reservoir or other infrastructure to allegedly blame Russia. There can be no realistic goal or motive for Ukraine to destroy its own infrastructure or create threats to its own people,” the ministry said.
In an exclusive commentary
“These dams were built in the 50s and 60s with the expectation that they could withstand a tactical nuclear strike from the outside,” he said.
The only way to destroy the Kyiv dam is from the inside, said the major general.
“It can be done from the inside, as the Russians did with the Kakhovka reservoir, when they controlled it, dropped dozens of tonnes of explosives inside and blew it up,” said Yahun.
That is why, according to him, the explosion will be possible only in the event of a Russian offensive.
“This is possible if the Russians go on the offensive, seize the Kyiv hydroelectric power station, decide that they do not need Kyiv and flood it. We believe this will not happen,” the major general said.
Earlier, according to Focus, journalist Andriy Tsaplienko allegedly wrote on his Telegram channel that the destruction of the Kyiv HPP would cause an energy crisis and flood a third of the capital. However, there is currently no such message in the journalist’s telegram channel.
Experts emphasise that the Russians’ message about the destruction of the Kyiv HPP is an IPSO aimed at causing panic among the population.
“If we were silent and just ignored their messages, this information would die in one day. But it is constantly being discussed. Meanwhile, the Russians are happy because they are achieving their goal, and we are panicking,”
– summed up Major General of the Security Service of Ukraine, Director of the Security Sector Reform Agency Viktor Yahun.
This is not the first time Russian propagandists have dispersed narratives about the Kyiv HPP. Last year, pro-Kremlin experts reported that it was 93 per cent defective.
At that time, the hydropower industry refuted this fake, stressing that it was a fake by the aggressor country.
Ukrhydroenergo is currently preparing for the winter, carrying out repairs, eliminating the consequences of damage and restoring equipment at various Ukrainian hydroelectric power plants. And they do not expect a critical threat to the population in the event of a rocket attack by Russian troops on the Kyiv hydroelectric dam.
Author – Aliona Kaplina
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