???? Live: Evacuations continue following attack on major Russian-held dam in Ukraine

Issued on: 07/06/2023 – 07:19

7:06am: At least seven missing in flooding caused by Nova Kakhovka dam destruction, TASS reports 

At least seven people have been missing after waters from the destroyed Nova Kakhovka dam flooded nearby areas, Russia’s TASS news agency cited the Moscow-installed mayor of the city of Nova Kakhovka as saying on Wednesday.

6:48am: Ukraine evacuates thousands after key dam destroyed

Ukraine was evacuating thousands of people Wednesday after an attack on a major Russian-held dam unleashed a torrent of water, inundating two dozen villages and sparking fears of a humanitarian disaster.

Washington warned there would be “likely many deaths” as Moscow and Kyiv traded blame for ripping a gaping hole in the Kakhovka dam, which is located on the frontline and provides cooling water for Europe’s largest nuclear plant.

Kyiv said the destruction of the dam – seized by Russia in the early hours of the war – was an attempt by Moscow to hamper its long-awaited offensive, which Ukraine’s leader stressed would not be affected.

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday following requests from Russia and Ukraine.

“Today’s news means the plight of the people in Ukraine is set to get even worse,” the UN’s top humanitarian official Martin Griffiths told the meeting.

The UN warned that hundreds of thousands could be affected on both sides of the frontline.

6:47am: Russian forces shell Ukraine’s Kherson region, one person dead, governor says

Russian forces shelled the Ukrainian region of Kherson multiple times over the past day, the region’s governor said, with one person dying and one injured as a result of the attacks.

The shelling included the city of Kherson, the Ukrainian governor of the region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Reuters could not independently verify the report. There were no further details from Prokudin.

On Tuesday, the critical Nova Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled part of Kherson was destroyed, flooding large swaths of Kherson and forcing the evacuation of thousands.

6:01am: Water levels in Nova Kakhovka declining after dam destruction, Russia-installed officials say

Water levels in the city of Nova Kakhovka started to decline on Wednesday morning after the destruction of the nearby dam, the Russian-installed administration of the city said on the Telegram messaging app.

“The water level on the previously flooded streets of Nova Kakhovka began to subside,” the administration of the now Moscow-controlled city said.

Read yesterday’s live blog to see how the day’s events unfolded.

Key developments from Wednesday, June 7: 

Kyiv called for the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting following the partial destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, a major Russian-held dam in southern Ukraine. 

Ukraine’s prosecutor general on Tuesday said 17,000 people were being evacuated from two dozen villages following this incident. Ukraine accused Russian forces of blowing up the hydroelectric dam, which represents a significant resource for the wider region by supplying water to a host of communities and Europe’s largest nuclear power station at Zaporizhzhia.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)