The partial destruction of a hydroelectric dam in Ukraine “certainly caused many deaths,” according to a White House spokesman, who said he had no “final conclusion on what happened.”
• Also read: Ukraine says “more than 17,000” civilians are being evacuated around the Kakhovka Dam
• Also read: Dam destroyed in Ukraine: Russia will be held accountable, says EU
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also warned of the “devastating” impact on Ukraine’s energy security.
Russians and Ukrainians blame each other for the partial destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine.
“We’re still trying to figure out what happened, but the Russians had illegally taken over this dam and reservoir a few months ago and were occupying it when the explosion happened,” he said.
“It is very clear that the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure is not permitted by martial law,” added John Kirby.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had previously told him that the United Nations had “no access to independent information about the circumstances” of the partial destruction of the dam.
“But one thing is clear: this is another devastating consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” he added.
At the request of Ukraine and Russia, an emergency Security Council meeting on the event is scheduled for Tuesday at 20:00 GMT, according to diplomatic sources.