White House says that it cannot ‘conclusively’ say what was behind the destruction of a massive dam in Ukraine

On Tuesday (June 6), the White House stated that it cannot definitively determine the cause of the destruction of a large dam in Ukraine. However, White House Spokesman John Kirby acknowledged that reports suggesting Russia’s involvement in the blast were being evaluated. Russia has been in occupation of the dam since last year.

Kirby highlighted that the destruction of the dam on the Dnipro River may have resulted in “many deaths” and the evacuation of thousands of Ukrainians. The Dnipro River serves as a separation line between Russian and Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine.

According to Kirby, the damage caused by the destruction of the dam could have severe implications for Ukraine’s energy security.

While acknowledging reports of Russia’s responsibility for the dam explosion, Kirby emphasized that it was too early to definitively determine what happened. The United States is working with Ukrainian authorities to gather more information on the incident.

Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing up the Nova Kakhovka dam, whereas the Kremlin has claimed that Ukraine sabotaged it. Kirby noted that Russian forces were illegally occupying the dam and were in control of it at the time of the blast. However, he stated that US officials had not yet established whether the explosion was intentional.

When asked about the possibility of the destruction of the dam being considered a war crime, Kirby stated that international law prohibits the targeting of civilian infrastructure. He added that US officials would continue to collaborate with humanitarian partners on the ground to provide aid to those affected.

Russia initiated an attack on Ukraine on February 24 of the previous year. After initially gaining territory in the early stages of the war, Russian forces faced setbacks during the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukrainian forces reclaimed significant portions of land, with international assistance playing a crucial role alongside the resilience of the Ukrainian military.

Western countries, led by the United States, have provided substantial humanitarian and military aid, bolstering Ukraine’s military capabilities.