Ukraine Russia war latest news: Putin’s dam attack sends exploding mines floating through Kherson floodwater

Deputy prime miniser says floodwater has disturbed mines planted earlier by Putin's troops

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Ukraine: Soviet-era dam destroyed near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Ukraine has warned of the danger posed by exploding mines floating in floodwater from the Kakhovka dam disaster.

"Water is disturbing mines that were laid earlier, causing them to explode," deputy prime minister Oleksandr Kubrakov told reporters earlier.

"As a result of the flooding, infectious diseases and chemicals were getting into the water," he said.

Yesterday, Ukrainians fled to trees and rooftops to escape flooding caused by the collapse of the damm, which Kyiv says was blown up by Russia.

Hundreds of thousands are said to be without normal access to clean drinking water following the breach, described by Ukraine officials as the biggest eco-diaster since Chernobyl.

Members of the Ukrainian National Guard take part in an operation to rescue civilians amid flooding in Kherson

Local residents walk in a flooded street during an evacuation from a flooded area after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached

Ukrainian servicemen help local residents during an evacuation from a flooded area in Kherson

Volunteers sail on a boat during an evacuation of local residents from a flooded area after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached

A view shows a flooded area after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached

Rishi Sunak has said that he and US President Joe Biden would be discussing the long-term security of Ukraine when the pair meet in Washington.

The Prime Minister, who is due to visit the White House on Thursday, said there was still no "definitive answer" about whether Russia was responsible for destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine but suggested it would fit a "pattern of behaviour" by Vladimir Putin's forces.

More than 2,700 people are believed to have fled flooded areas on both the Russian and Ukrainian-controlled sides of the river.

Read the full story:

The Prime Minister said there was still no ‘definitive answer’ about whether Russia was responsible for the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

The blowing up of the dam near Kherson will delay an amoured assault in the area, writes Kim Sengupta. But Kyiv's forces are conducting operations across other areas of the frontline.

The blowing up of the dam near Kherson will delay an amoured assault in the area, writes Kim Sengupta. But Kyiv's forces are conducting operations across other areas of the frontline

Satellite images have revealed the damage from the massive collapse of a major dam and hydroelectric power plant in southern Ukraine.

The critical soviet-era Nova Kakhovka dam, which lies along the Dnipro river in Russia-held Kherson, was blown up on Tuesday and collapsed soon after, sending water gushing into nearby villages and towns in the region with a 42,000-strong population.

The UN said the collapse will have "catastrophic" and "far-reaching consequences" for thousands of people with the loss of homes, food, safe water and livelihoods even as Russia and Ukraine traded accusations over the incident.

Shweta Sharma has the full story:

Imagery captures more than 2,500 sq km of area around Nova Kakhovka before and after its collapse

The parallels between the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam on Tuesday and history's most famous dambusting attacks are striking and shocking, writes historian Guy Walters.

The parallels between the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam on Tuesday and history's most famous dambusting attacks are striking and shocking, writes historian Guy Walters

Ukrainians hope events on the battlefield might precipitate the change in Russia that removes Putin. Askold Krshelnycky meets the troops preparing to move out, and hears what they have planned.

Ukrainians hope events on the battlefield might precipitate the change in Russia that removes Putin. Askold Krshelnycky meets the troops preparing to move out, and hears what they have planned

Ukraine's prime minister on Wednesday urged the United Nations, the International Red Cross and other bodies to act immediately to help flooded residents of southern Ukraine receiving no help in areas controlled by Russian occupying forces.

"The Russian occupiers don't even make an effort to help these people, they have left them to perish," Denys Shmyhal said in English in a video posted on Telegram, referring to the aftermath of the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam.

"International humanitarian organisations, on behalf of the government of Ukraine, I urge you: you must act immediately.

"We appeal to you to take charge of evacuating people from the territory of Kherson oblast occupied by Russia, we must save the lives of people whom the occupiers have condemned to death."

It comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he was "shocked" at what he said was the failure of the United Nations and the Red Cross to provide help after the destruction of the massive Kakhovka dam.

The Russian-installed mayor of Nova Kakhovka, a southern Ukrainian town controlled by Moscow, said on Wednesday that claims by a local private zoo that all of its 300 animals had drowned after the nearby dam crumbled were false.

A representative for the zoo, called Kazkova Dibrova, said via the zoo's Facebook account on Tuesday that the park had been completely flooded and that all of its animals had been killed after the nearby Nova Kakhovka dam collapsed.

Vladimir Leontyev, the Russian-installed mayor of Nova Kakhovka, said on Wednesday that the assertion was untrue and that the zoo's animals had been evacuated in 2022.

"Actually, the situation is that last year all the animals were evacuated and moved away from Kazkova Dibrova," he said.

"There was nobody left there, not a single animal."

The claims have not been independently verified.

The zoo itself gave a different account of events on Wednesday, saying that some initial information about what was going on had not been completely accurate and that some animals had not been at the zoo when it was flooded.

"Yesterday, the workers, being in a state of shock, gave me not quite accurate information. Some of the animals were not on the territory of the (zoo), but were at home with Val," a zoo representative said, referring to the zoo's director.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he was "shocked" at what he said was the failure of the United Nations and the Red Cross to provide help after the destruction of the massive Kakhovka dam.

Although the catastrophe happened many hours ago, "they aren't here", Zelensky told German newspapers Bild and Die Welt and also Politico. "We have had no response. I am shocked".

He also said Russian soldiers were shooting from a distance while rescue attempts were in progress. "As soon as our helpers try to save them, they are shot at," he was quoted as saying.

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A satellite image shows Nova Khakovka Damn in the southern Kherson region

via REUTERS

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