Following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the flooded area on the western bank of the Dnieper river to assess the damage and response efforts.
The breach of the dam has caused massive flooding, resulting in the deaths of five residents of the Russian-occupied city of Nova Kakhovka, according to the Kremlin-appointed mayor.
At least 4,000 people have been evacuated from both sides of the river, which has become part of the front line between the fighting forces.
The true scale of the disaster is yet to emerge, but roughly 600 square kilometres of the region have been submerged.
The dam and associated reservoir, which are essential for fresh water and irrigation for southern Ukraine, lie in the Kherson region that Moscow illegally annexed in September.
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of purposely destroying the dam, while Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has backed the Russian claim that Ukraine blew up the dam to distract from a failed counteroffensive.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
