(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The SSU reported this, as cited by Ukrinform.

According to the SSU, the investigation established that on the night of June 6, 2023, the suspect directly coordinated his subordinates in carrying out the demolition of the Kakhovka HPP dam using explosives.

The destruction of the hydrotechnical facility caused a catastrophic flood, which killed 35 civilians and left 24 residents missing.

The uncontrolled surge of water inundated 46 settlements and 1,323 hectares of agricultural land in Kherson region, including 14 communities located in temporarily occupied territory.

The attack also disrupted water supply across Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, as well as in temporarily occupied Crimea.

The floodwaters submerged 55,000 hectares of forest and at least 81,000 hectares of nature reserves and industrial facilities in southern Ukraine.

Additionally, the destruction created a serious threat to the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant by impairing its cooling system.

Based on collected evidence, Ukrainian law enforcement formally charged Omelyanovych in absentia under Part 2, Article 28 and Part 2, Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes involving premeditated murder committed by a group of individuals in conspiracy).

Read also: Russia destroying settlements near Kakhovka Dam with rockets to create foothold – Voloshyn

As reported earlier, on the night of June 6, 2023, Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka HPP dam, flooding parts of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions while simultaneously draining the Kakhovka Reservoir.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matias Schmale, noted that water supply and livelihood problems caused by the Russian attack have still not been fully resolved.

Photo: Planet Labs

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