Major dam collapses in southern Ukraine, flooding villages as Moscow and Kyiv trade blame

By VASILISA STEPANENKO and SUSIE BLANN
Associated Press

KHERSON, Ukraine (AP) — A major dam in southern Ukraine has collapsed, flooding villages, endangering crops in the country’s breadbasket and threatening drinking water supplies. Both sides in the war are rushing to evacuate residents and blaming each other for the destruction. Ukraine accused Russian forces of blowing up the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power station on the Dnieper River in an area that Moscow controls, while Russian officials blamed Ukrainian military strikes in the contested area. It was not possible to verify the claims. The disaster has potentially far-reaching environmental and social consequences as homes, streets and businesses flooded downstream and emergency crews began evacuations.