NEW YORK, June 6. /TASS/. The destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant’s dam essentially puts an end to any chance the Ukrainian armed forces had of carrying out a successful offensive over the river, an adviser to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry told the Newsweek magazine.
"It [the destruction] effectively makes crossing the river in that area impossible," Andrey Zagorodnyuk said. "Even conducting operations in that whole area will be much more difficult."
The adviser claimed that this will prevent the Ukrainian forces from crossing the Dnieper River.
The Kherson portion of the front line had been one of the possible locations for Ukraine's counteroffensive, according to the report.
At night, the Ukrainian military delivered a strike against the Kakhovka HPP presumably from an Olkha MLRS. The shelling destroyed the hydraulic valves, causing water to pour out uncontrollably. Water levels have already exceeded 10 meters in the town of Novaya Kakhovka. Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing up the dam, something Moscow vehemently denies. The act of sabotage was committed at the order of the Kiev authorities and they must be held responsible, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed.