KRONSHTADT, June 21. /TASS/. Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological protection force and the Emergencies Ministry have been conducting decontamination of the flood-affected territory following the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP to prevent the spread of infections, including cholera, the chief of the radiation, chemical and biological protection force, Igor Kirillov, said on the sidelines of the International Maritime Defense Show on Wednesday.
"The Emergencies Ministry together with the radiation, chemical and biological protection force has been taking comprehensive measures to decontaminate the affected territories. The scale of work is not very large, even if compared to Tulun, in the Irkutsk Region. I believe that there will be no special problems. Whatever the case, there are many factors and many risks that may emerge. Everything will be normal, provided we are ready to cope with our tasks," Kirillov said in reply to a TASS question about the risk of cholera spreading in the region.
On the morning of June 6, the Ukrainian military launched a missile attack on the Kakhovka HPP, 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; 41 people are reported to have died and more than 100 taken to the hospital.
The destruction of the hydro power plant has caused serious environmental damage with farmlands along the Dnieper River being washed away. Additionally, 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 full responsibility for its consequences. The Investigative Committee has launched criminal proceedings under article 205 of the Criminal Code (terrorist attack).
IMDS-2023
The IMDS-2023 is running in Kronshtadt on June 21-25. The organizer of the event is the Ministry of Industry and Trade. For the first time the Museum of Naval Glory and the Congressional and Exhibition Center on the territory of the tourist and recreational cluster Island of Forts have become the venue of the event. The exposition of shipbuilding enterprises has brought together over 250 leading Russian and foreign participants. TASS is the show’s strategic media partner.