DISINFO: Ukraine decided to strike Kakhovka dam
SUMMARY
Kyiv decided to strike at Kakhovka hydropower station dam. An environmental disaster will happen if this plan is executed.
RESPONSE
No evidence given.
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets about the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, accusing Ukraine of plotting and carrying out war crimes, aiming to deflect attention from the actions of the Russian army.
The first to mention this was the newly appointed head of Russia's forces in Ukraine, General Surovikin. Besides him, other pro-Kremlin politicians in Kherson region also voiced this "plan". They did not provide any evidence.
Ukraine does not shell civilian infrastructure. There is no evidence Ukraine is planning to destroy the Kakhovka dam and to cause an environmental disaster in the region. Previously, Ukraine only targeted a small bridge near the dam with high-precision weapons; no critical infrastructure was destroyed or damaged.
Instead, there is rich evidence that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine, such as the shelling of shopping malls, electricity stations, power grids, bridges. It also uses imprecise weapons.
On October 10, Russian strikes of the civilian infrastructure strikes killed at least 14 people in Ukraine and disrupted electricity in some regions. A number of electricity stations were damaged in Central and Western Ukraine.
Read similar cases: Russia's missile strikes are selective and humane not to hurt civilians; IAEA experts confirmed that Zaporizhzhia plant is under Ukrainian attacks; Ukrainian army has been attacking civilian areas in Donetsk with artillery for eight years.