He discussed emergency operations in the aftermath of the devastating of the massive dam at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station, which caused severe flooding with both Moscow and Kyiv trading blame for the incident.
Zelenskiy shared updates on the situation through the Telegram messaging app, along with video footage of his visit, stating that they discussed various critical matters, including the operational conditions following the disaster, evacuation efforts, emergency response to the dam explosion, provision of essential services to the affected areas, and the prospects of ecosystem restoration.
Kherson, located approximately 60 km downstream from the Kakhovka dam, bears the brunt of the flooding. In a separate post, accompanied by video footage, the president mentioned visiting a road crossing where evacuations were taking place.
According to a military spokesperson, the flooding resulting from the Kakhovka dam's destruction has compelled Russian troops to withdraw by distances ranging from five to fifteen kilometers in the Kherson region. Natalia Humeniuk, the spokesperson for Ukraine's southern command, reported a significant reduction in Russian shelling following the redeployment.
The governor of Kherson had earlier stated that around 600 square kilometers of the region, mostly on the Russian-occupied side of the river, were submerged, and nearly 2,000 people had already been relocated from the affected areas.
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Source: PAP, Reuters