Satellite tv for pc imagery obtained by Bellingcat means that Russia created a dam on the outskirts of the occupied Ukrainian metropolis of Tokmak in Zaporizhzhia oblast forward of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. This was beforehand reported by the Heart for Journalistic Investigations, which famous that the transfer was a part of a larger development of making water obstacles for the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Nonetheless, Planet satellite tv for pc imagery seen by Bellingcat now gives a extra detailed view of the scene. The Kharkiv Human Rights Safety group additionally famous a development of deliberate flooding throughout Zaporizhzhia oblast by Russian forces.
Water has been used as a device on a number of events because the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In these situations, dams had been damaged to flood downstream areas, probably so as to complicate offensive efforts of the enemy. This might result in larger water ranges and muddy floor downstream together with the longer-term end result of dried up reservoirs.
Each side have used these ways to this point, with Ukraine admitting to doing so in Demydiv simply north of Kyiv initially of the conflict. Ukraine can be reported to have blown up the floodgates of the Oskil reservoir dam in April 2022 to complicate Russian efforts. Nonetheless, Russian forces are suspected of absolutely destroying the Oskil dam as a Ukrainian counteroffensive superior later that 12 months.
It now seems that Russia could also be contemplating flooding ways in Tokmak.
The makeshift dam lies throughout the line of defense wrapping across the metropolis of Tokmak, which itself is behind a number of extra defensive traces as could be seen within the map above.
Because the dam’s building in early Might, the Tokmachka river has widened considerably to the east of town, and flooded some fields nearest to the dam. This was seen in June 6 SkySat high-resolution imagery from Planet Labs (beneath), which confirmed that the dam was constructed out of what seems to be a sand barrier extensive sufficient to carry again the small river.
Tyre tracks main from the dam counsel that it may additionally perform as a second bridge, though the bridge subsequent to it on the P37 street seems to be functioning usually.
Satellite tv for pc imagery from Planet Labs confirmed tracks main all the way down to the positioning of the dam on Might 3, 2023, and exhibits the river Tokmachka severed on Might 6, with the water stage on the east aspect of the dam steadily rising into June (as seen within the timelapse beneath).
Russia has spent a number of months getting ready for the Ukrainian counteroffensive within the south of the nation. The multi-layered defence is made up of a number of traces of minefields, anti-tank ditches, concrete obstacles, and trenches spanning your entire frontline at nice depth.
Growing the water ranges of the Tokmachka river might be a part of a larger effort at slowing down advancing Ukrainian forces. Extra particularly, this can be a part of an effort to decelerate an jap envelopment of Tokmak within the occasion of a Ukrainian breakthrough close to town.
In early June, the massive Nova Kakhovka dam in Kherson oblast broke, resulting in widespread flooding and injury. The precise occasions main as much as the collapse of the construction stay unclear. However the New York Occasions reported that proof instructed it was instigated by an inside explosion set off by Russia. Russia has denied this and Bellingcat has not been capable of independently confirm the New York Occasions’ reporting.
The injury brought on by the Nova Kakhovka collapse has been immense, with CNN reporting that over 40 individuals are both useless or stay lacking. Ukraine, in the meantime, has estimated that over one billion Euros in injury has been induced.
Given the dimensions of the dam noticed in Tokmak, nevertheless, flooding from the dam is negligible and never wherever close to the size seen in Nova Kakhovka.
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