Nova Kakhovka dam in Kherson Oblast severely damaged

Footage of the destruction of the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station in the Kherson region.

Upstream from the Nova Kakhovka Dam is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant which sits along the Kakhovka reservoir. This could cause problems for cooling the reactors as the nuclear plant relies on water from the reservoir.

Making the situation even worse, water levels behind the dam are at a 30 year high. The worst case scenario of the water levels that would get out of the dam after it's destruction was 13 metres, according to professional models, now it's 17 metres.

Dams like Nova Kahkovka are protected by the laws of war and the Geneva convention for a reason. According to Article 56 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I:

“Works and installations containing dangerous forces, namely dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating stations, shall not be made the object of attack, even where these objects are military objectives, if such attack may cause the release of dangerous forces and consequent severe losses among the civilian population. Other military objectives located at or in the vicinity of these works or installations shall not be made the object of attack if such attack may cause the release of dangerous forces from the works or installations and consequent severe losses among the civilian population.”