Headline RoundupJune 6th, 2023

Major Dam Collapses in Ukraine as Kyiv, Moscow Trade Blame

Summary from the AllSides News Team

The wall of a major dam in Russian-controlled southern Ukraine collapsed Tuesday, sparking emergency evacuations as Ukraine and Russia traded blame.

The Details: The Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant is in the city of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine's Kherson region, which is currently occupied by Russian forces. Video showed a large breach in the dam on Tuesday, and satellite images show some damage to the dam in the previous few days. Residents and businesses fled as flood waters traveled downstream. While evacuations continued, officials expressed concern about cooling systems at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, drinking water quality to the south in Crimea, and irreversible ecological damage from the flooding.

Why? Ukraine says Russia blew up the dam to thwart a coming counteroffensive. Russian said Ukraine sabotaged the dam to deprive Russian-controlled Crimea of water.

For Context: The dam held water roughly equal to the Great Salt Lake in Utah. 

How the Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the news prominently Tuesday, especially left- and center-rated sources. 

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