SEOUL, June 9. /TASS/. The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant is a repetition of the Nord Stream scenario; the current humanitarian catastrophe's masterminds are the US and Ukraine, which are trying to shift the blame to Russia, O Song-jin, a researcher at North Korea's Institute of International Studies, said in an article cited by the Korean Central News Agency on Friday.

"It is obvious who was interested in the recent humanitarian disaster, given Ukraine's nefarious plot to try to label Russia a war criminal by all means, and Russia's intention to regulate the intensity of the military operation to prevent damage to civilians as much as possible," the expert points out.

The collapse of the Kakhovka dam is "nothing but another farce and the second 'Nord Stream' case cooked up by the US and Ukraine in cahoots to shift the responsibility for humanitarian disaster onto Russia and create a political and military environment favorable for the so-called counteroffensive operation of Ukraine," O pointed out. He warned that the destruction of the hydropower plant could trigger grain price hikes around in the world.

He stressed that all the facts show that "[Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky’s clique is a gang of thugs who do not hesitate to sacrifice peaceful citizens to prolonging their own political life."

"Zelensky's clique, which has led the country and the nation to war under the patronage of outside forces, will meet its end in the 'Noahchian Flood’," the expert said.

O noted that the US and Western media were spreading "absurd rumors" that Russia destroyed the hydroelectric plant to deter a counteroffensive by the Ukrainian armed forces.

"As for the Ukrainian counteroffensive, about which the Kiev clique speaks so loudly, it is not significant enough to make Russia go as far as undermining its own dam," the expert pointed out. He added that Ukraine had launched a major offensive a few days ago, but every day was losing "thousands of soldiers, dozens of tanks and armored vehicles and other equipment but is still far from breaking through" the defenses of the Russian armed forces. In addition, Zelensky's statement to the effect that blowing up the dam would not interfere with the Ukrainian operation contradicted the accusations and attempts to place the blame on Russia.

In the morning of June 6, the Ukrainian military launched a missile attack on the Kakhovka hydro power plant, which resulted in the destruction of gate sluice valves at the HPP’s dam, triggering an uncontrolled discharge of water. According to emergency services, there are 35 communities in the flood zone, and residents of nearby villages are being evacuated. Seven people are reported to have died and more than 60 taken to the hospital.

The destruction of the hydro power plant has caused serious environmental damage with farm fields along the Dnieper River being washed away. As well, there is a risk that the North Crimean Canal may run low and become too shallow. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the strike on the Kakhovka dam as an act of deliberate sabotage by Ukrainian forces, adding that the Kiev regime should bear all of the responsibility for its consequences.