The breaching of the Nova Kakhovka Dam and hydroelectric power station is a war crime based on the Additional Protocol I determination in Geneva Conventions. This act needs to be immediately investigated by the United Nations to determine who ordered the demolition charges be laid.

This occurred in the Russian occupied area of Ukraine with all evidence pointing to Russia. Of course Russia has countered these claims that the dam failed due to Ukrainian shelling of the dam, but any person with just a basic grasp of engineering knows this to be false. Just as the Russian artillery strikes on the Maternity Hospital No 3 in Mariupol where they tried to blame it on Ukraine or the claims of actors lying in the streets of Bucha, we know Russian lies are unbelievable.

But what the Russian forces did was blow the dam early, they are so fearful of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south they flooded the Dnipro River to prevent an unlikely river crossing. A better option would be to blow the dam as a river crossing was taking place washing their forces away. Whilst still reprehensible, this at least would have a military objective in an attempt to thwart the Ukrainian offensive.

What the Russian military has done is brought more pain to the Ukrainian people, now the Ukrainian forces now have to rescue stranded people, animals and restore utilities. We are looking at drinking water, irrigation and cooling for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Thousands of people have been forced from their homes, the risk of disease [cholera] is real so once again, the people of Ukraine wear the cost of this action.