High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy responds to the Russia’s attack on Kakhovka HPP.

“Russia’s attacks against Ukrainian civilian critical infrastructure reached an unprecedented level today with the destruction of the dam at Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. The European Union condemns this attack in the strongest possible terms. It represents a new dimension of Russian atrocities and may constitute a violation of international law, notably international humanitarian law.

The downstream flooding is putting at risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians in around 80 settlements, including the city of Kherson. It aggravates the already dire humanitarian situation in those areas.

Dropping water levels of the dam also affect access to critical cooling water for the reactors of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. With this desperate act, Russia is also continuing its reckless nuclear gamble by putting at risk the proper functioning of the safety and security systems of the ZNPP in clear violation of earlier related resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors and the General Conference, as well as the five principles to ensure nuclear safety and security in the ZNPP by the Director General of the IAEA. It is irresponsible and completely unacceptable”, - says Josep Borrell.