Thread by @davidhelms570

On November 11, 2022, the Russians exploded charges on the 3 dam gates on the north side (right bank) of the Kakhovka HPP Dam along with the road and railroad deck over the dam. #NAFOWeather

What is the Russian intention? Minimally, to stop UAF pursuit of the retreating Russian troops. Russians have also destroyed the Kherson energy infrastructure as part of their retreat. This is part of a systemic plan to cripple the Ukrainian economy.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1591574079567548418?s=20&t=Bp4DDpdfl9D3qLleu_IH9A

But clearly, draining the Kakhovka dam may not be a Russian priority as it feeds the Crimean Canal which provides water to Crimea. In fact, restarting the flow of water was one of the first priorities after capturing the canal
nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/c…

Within 2 days after invading Ukraine, the Russians removed the barrier stopping the flow of water south into Crimea at the border.
eadaily.com/ru/news/2022/0…

This is a loop of Sentinel 2 imagery including data from February 15, February 27, March 7, and March 12. The imagery shows the canal gate (46.148731, 33.631067) built by the Ukrainians in 2014 to stop water flowing to Crimea. Water is flowing south in the canal by March 7th.

This loop in Sentinel 2 NDVI (vegetation), 2016-2022, including before/after canal water reaches northern Crima farms which increase acreage planted in April 2022 in response to Russians opening the canal border gate.

Russians may yet launch a missile attack on the Kakhovka dam to finish what they started on November 11th, as they did to the dam of the Karachunivske reservoir in Kryvyi Rih, if the Russian decide the Crimean Canal water is threatened. /end
theguardian.com/world/2022/sep…

Video of dam, 3 damaged gates appear to limit water flow, but reservoir water continues to flow elsewhere. No rain in the past 3 weeks on the Dnipro basin.

https://twitter.com/grntmedia/status/1591848165636206592?t=MWQGgeLizQi9DFlIliyeJQ&s=19