(Reuters) – Significant new damage to the major Nova Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine can be seen following Russia’s withdrawal from nearby Kherson city, U.S. satellite imagery company Maxar said on Friday.
Maxar said images taken on Friday showed several bridges that cross the Dnipro river had also been damaged. Ukrainian troops were greeted by joyous residents in the centre of Kherson after Russia abandoned the city.
“Satellite images this morning … reveal significant new damage to several bridges and the Nova Kakhovka dam in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from Kherson across the Dnipro river,” Maxar said in a statement.
It said sections of the northern extent of the dam and sluice gates had been “deliberately destroyed”. Earlier this week Russia accused Ukraine of shelling the dam.
Both sides have repeatedly accused each of planning to breach the dam using explosives, which would flood much of the area downstream and would likely cause major destruction around Kherson.
It was the only regional capital city that Russia had captured since its forces invaded neighbour Ukraine in late February.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Grant McCool)
