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Russian forces may have targeted the dam of the Kurakhove Reservoir to cause significant and long-lasting flooding to the west, potentially facilitating efforts to encircle the Ukrainian forces north and south of Kurakhove.
This is according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as relayed by Ukrinform.
Currently, Russian troops are conducting offensive operations north, southeast, south, and southwest of Kurakhove as part of wider efforts to eliminate the Ukrainian salient in the Kurakhove sector. Russian offensive operations northwest and north of Kurakhove along the Sontsivka-Voznesenka-Novoselydivka line aim to advance southwestward and southward to envelop the Ukrainian pocket north of the Kurakhivske Reservoir.
Russian troops are also advancing on a wide front along the Shakhtarske-Trudove-Antonivka line to encircle Ukrainian forces south of Kurakhove.
According to the ISW report, the Kurakhove Reservoir serves as a significant water barrier, dividing Ukrainian groupings to the north and south of Kurakhove. Russian forces reportedly targeted the Ternivska Dam to flood settlements along the Vovcha River, extending the water barrier that separates these Ukrainian forces. This move may also be intended to prevent the Ukrainian forces from using the H-15 highway (Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia).
The ISW analysts note that the potential benefits for Russian forces remain “unclear” due to the unknown scale and duration of the flooding.
The Ukrainian and Russian sources both reported on November 11 that damage to the Kurakhove Reservoir dam resulted in flooding of nearby settlements. However, there is disagreement over who is responsible for the damage. Reports indicate that Russian forces may have struck the dam as early as September 2024.
According to Ukrinform, Russian troops damaged the Kurakhove Reservoir dam, posing a threat to residents along the Vovcha River in both Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Vadym Filashkin, Chief of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, warned of the risks to these communities.
The town of Kurakhove itself lies on the banks of the Reservoir, which was created to cool the Kurakhove Thermal Power Plant.
