The destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine has improved the defensive positions of Russian troops against a much-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive, a defense expert said on Tuesday (June 6). The flooding caused by the breach of the huge dam on the front-line Dnipro River could prevent Ukraine from deploying heavy weaponry such as tanks in the area for up to a month, said Maciej Matysiak, a security expert at the Stratpoints Foundation and ex-deputy chief of Polish military counter-intelligence. "But at the same time, it covers for Ukrainians' safety, on this flank because during (the) expected offensive of (the) Ukrainian army, Russians won't be able to operate on this direction, ” Matysiak added. The breach of the dam in Ukraine's Kherson region on Tuesday has muddied the picture for the anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive and threatens an environmental disaster for civilians living in the war zone. Kyiv and Moscow have blamed each other for the collapse of the dam that sent floods gushing toward surrounding towns and farmland and forced hundreds of civilians to flee.

Source: Sky sports June 06, 2023 11:36 UTC