Dams like the Dnipro dam in Nova Kahkovka are protected by the laws of war and the Geneva convention. Destroying it would be considered a weapon of mass destruction and an indiscriminate war crime:
Works and installations containing dangerous forces, namely dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating stations, shall not be made the object of attack, even where these objects are military objectives, if such attack may cause the release of dangerous forces and consequent severe losses among the civilian population. Other military objectives located at or in the vicinity of these works or installations shall not be made the object of attack if such attack may cause the release of dangerous forces from the works or installations and consequent severe losses among the…
Article 56 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I
The recent destruction of the Kakhovka dam has ignited intense speculation and concern among various stakeholders. A senior aide to President Zelenskiy has voiced a provocative assertion, suggesting that the dam’s demolition is a deliberate act orchestrated by Russia, aimed at raising the stakes and instilling fear of a potential nuclear catastrophe. Adding to the complexity, Ukraine’s military intelligence claims that Russian forces detonated the dam in a state of panic. These assertions contribute to an already tense atmosphere, with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg condemning the incident as yet another demonstration of Russia’s brutal conduct in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
