vast Soviet-era dam in the Russian controlled part of southern Ukraine was blown up on Tuesday, unleashing a flood of water across the war zone, according to both Ukrainian and Russian forces.
There were immediate fears that the torrent of water could flood parts of the southern city of Kherson as well as 80 other settlements.
Evacuations of civilians were already underway after the “ecocide” attack.
Concerns were also raised that the huge surge in water could affect safety at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power plant controlled by Russian forces.
There were reports that homes on the left bank of the giant Dnipro River were flooding, cattle drowning and that water levels could reach critical highs around midday.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky ordered an emergency meeting of his National Security and Defence Council and blamed the attack on the “Russian terrorists”.
Military experts said the flood of water could destroy some Russian defences but also hamper the long-awaited Ukrainian counter-offensive which some reports suggested was now underway.
Both sides blamed the other for destroying the dam.
Unverified videos on social media showed a series of intense explosions around the Kakhovka dam. A video posted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky showed water pouring through the dam.
The dam, 30 metres (yards) tall and 3.2 km (2 miles) long, was built in 1956 on the Dnipro river as part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.
It holds an 18 km3 reservoir which also supplies water to the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, and to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which is also under Russian control.
Ukraine’s military said that Russian forces blew up the dam.
“The Kakhovka (dam) was blown up by the Russian occupying forces,” the South command of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on Tuesday on its Facebook page.
“The scale of the destruction, the speed and volumes of water, and the likely areas of inundation are being clarified.”
Russian news agencies said the dam, controlled by Russian forces, had been destroyed in shelling while a Russian-installed official said it was a terrorist attack – Russian shorthand for an attack by Ukraine.
The claim and counter claims could not be independently verified early on Tuesday morning.
Mr Zelensky tweeted: “Russian terrorists. The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam only confirms for the whole world that they must be expelled from every corner of Ukrainian land.
“Not a single meter should be left to them, because they use every meter for terror. It’s only Ukraine’s victory that will return security. And this victory will come. The terrorists will not be able to stop Ukraine with water, missiles or anything else.”
He added: “All services are working. I have convened the National Security and Defense Council. Please spread official and verified information only.”
On a visit to Kyiv, Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “Clearly, there is an ongoing situation here.
“There is a risk to life because of the flood risk.
“The Ukrainian authorities will be working on this intensively.”
He added: “Of course, this is only happening because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Amid growing signs that a major Ukrainian offensive may have started, the Ministry of London tweeted: “Over the last 48 hours there has been a substantial increase in fighting along numerous sectors of the front, including those which have been relatively quiet for several months.”
In its latest intelligence update, the MoD also highlighted clashes between Putin’s Wagner Group “private army” and the regular Russian army.
“Concurrently, the feud between Wagner Group and the Russian MoD has reached an unprecedented level,” it said.
“For the first time, Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed that the army has employed deliberate, lethal force against Wagner units. Following an altercation, Wagner has likely detained a Russian army brigade commander.
“Most of Wagner’s forces have now been withdrawn from Bakhmut. With Russia short of reserve units, the degree to which Wagner remains responsive to the MoD will be a key factor in the conflict over the coming weeks.”
