Destruction of Hydroelectric Dam Improves Defensive Positions of Russian Forces: Expert

The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station has enhanced the defensive positions of Russian troops against the expected Ukrainian counteroffensive, according to Maciej Matysiak, a military expert at the Stratpoints Foundation and former deputy head of Poland's military intelligence.

The flooding caused by the destruction of the massive dam at the front line will likely hinder Ukrainian armed forces from using heavy weapons, such as tanks or infantry fighting vehicles, in that area for up to a month, the expert believes.

“You can always ask who stands to benefit, and right now it is advantageous to the Russians, as the explosion of the Kakhovka dam creates very good defensive positions for them, who are anticipating offensive actions from the Ukrainian army,” Matysiak said in an interview with Reuters.

The analyst suggests that the Russian forces are unlikely to face serious supply problems due to the flooding: “The Russians control what we can call this southern corridor—the land route between Russia and Crimea—since they have captured many roads and bridges there. So that should not be a problem for them.”

As the agency notes, the destruction of the dam over the Dnieper has blurred the picture of the expected Ukrainian counteroffensive and placed the civilian population living in the war zone at risk of an ecological disaster.