DISINFO: The destruction of the Kakhovka plant by Kyiv is an act of terrorism and a war crime
SUMMARY
The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectrical plant is a new terrorist attack and a serious war crime committed by Kyiv. Russia’s Investigative Committee announced the opening of a criminal case on terrorism charges after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
RESPONSE
This disinformation claim attempts to shift blame to Ukraine for the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, despite mounting evidence incriminating Russian troops.
Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets have been promoting disinformation narratives about the Kahkovka dam for a long time. EUvsDisinfo traced back the efforts to manipulate the information environment and prepare it for the possibility of the dam destruction to at least October 2022. Repeating disinformation messages not backed by any evidence as if they were established facts while introducing minor variations is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique, as is the instrumental use of Russian institutions fully controlled by the state to promote disinformation narratives, in this case the penal accusation of “terrorism” to push the message of Ukraine as responsible for the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
Growing evidence or Russia’s culpability -some of which emerged after the publication of this disinformation story- includes seismological traces of explosions in the Russian-occupied dam, forensic reconstructions made with engineering expertise, Russian communications intercepted by the Ukrainian intelligence, and drone footage taken in the previous days showing an explosive-filled car above the facility.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Russia retreated from Kherson because Ukraine wanted to blow up the Kakhovka dam, that Russia had warned the UN about Ukraine’s plans to blow up the Kakhovka dam, that Western weapons deliveries enabled Ukraine to destroy de Kakhovka dam, or that the Kakhovka dam attack serves as a pretext for more sanctions.