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Paul Ronzheimer is the deputy editor-in-chief of BILD and a senior journalist reporting for Axel Springer, the dad or mum firm of POLITICO.
KYIV — Russian forces are capturing at Ukrainian rescuers making an attempt to succeed in these trapped in flood-struck areas of occupied Kherson after the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in an unique interview.
“As quickly as our helpers attempt to rescue them, they’re shot at,” Zelenskyy stated, referring to efforts to succeed in residents of cities on the Russian-occupied financial institution of the Dnipro River, which has been inundated with floodwater after blasts partially destroyed the dam on Tuesday. The floodwaters threaten 80 settlements on each the Ukrainian-held and Russian-occupied sides of the river, in line with Kyiv.
“Individuals, animals have died,” Zelenskyy stated. “From the roofs of the flooded homes, individuals see drowned individuals floating by. You’ll be able to see that on the opposite aspect. It’s very exhausting to get individuals out of the occupied a part of Kherson area. When our forces attempt to get them out, they’re shot at by occupiers from a distance.”
He added: “We received’t have the ability to see all the results for just a few days, when the water has trickled down a bit.”
After initially denying that the dam had been blown up, Russia blamed Kyiv for the catastrophe. The dam bridges the Dnipro River, holding again as a lot as 18 cubic kilometers of water, and was an important supply of water to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
Ukraine says the Kremlin is behind the destruction of the dam, as a part of a determined bid to carry again Kyiv’s anticipated counteroffensive.
“They perceive very properly that they are going to lose this battle,” Zelenskyy advised Axel Springer, POLITICO’s dad or mum firm. “They’re dragging out the liberation of our territories.”
Pointing to the truth that the dam has been beneath Russian forces’ management because the very starting of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Zelenskyy stated the Kremlin was responsible.
“That is occurring on occupied territory,” Zelenskyy stated, including that he had lengthy warned his Western allies of the likelihood the Russians would try and destroy the dam.
“Everybody stated: ‘The danger is excessive that the dam will likely be blown up if the adversary senses that we’ll stumble upon these territories to liberate them,’” the Ukrainian president stated. The Russians “are afraid that we’ll begin the counteroffensive on this path they usually wish to make it troublesome to liberate our areas. They didn’t suppose twice about flooding their occupied territories as properly. I don’t see another causes.”
Zelenskyy additionally took intention at worldwide humanitarian organizations, which he stated have been lacking in motion when it got here to rescue efforts on the bottom.
“They aren’t there,” he stated. Whereas Ukraine has appealed for assist, “we haven’t acquired any response. I’m shocked.”
Paul Ronzheimer reported from Kyiv.
