So how will the power plant be cooled?
But that said I read this is a major problem for the Crimean peninsula so its arguable this one hurts everyone, and whichever side did it, has to incur some blowback costs. It is possible in the horrible metrics of modern warfare the impact to a successful defence of Crimea and troop movements is worse for Russia than the unimaginable pain of life without power, dislocation and living the swamp for Ukranians citizenry.
I am very glad I am not a military planner. I wouldn't want the stress of doing this kind of calculus.
All six reactors were shut down last year [1]. Cooling is still needed due to the residual heat produced by natural decay of the fuel even when the reactors are not running.
At the currently reported rate of 5 cm / hour, the water level in the reservoir will have sunk below 12.7 m by Friday morning (local time). It will then no longer be possible to pump water from the reservoir to the reactors. There are alternative sources, however [2]:
There are a number of alternative sources of water.
A main one is the large cooling pond next to the site that by design is kept above the height of the reservoir. As the reactors have been shut down for many months it is estimated that this pond will be sufficient to provide water for cooling for some months. The Agency will confirm this very shortly.
[1] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/11/last-reactor-at-ukr...
[2] https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/iaea-director-...
The major problem was the Ukraine cutting all the water supply to Crimea in 2014 [0] and electricity in 2015. [1]
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Crimean_Canal#2014%E2%80...
Adjust how? After the start of the war Russia reenabled the flow of water to Crimea as soon as it could.
"I believe the act was perpetrated by the Russians either cynically to demoralise deelectrify and dehouse"
Firstly, what is the point of that from the military perspective? And according to Putin, the regions where the fighting is going, 'voted' to join Russia and antagonizing population even further serves no end.
Secondly, attributing such meaningless callousness to Russians is either russophobia or the result of thoughtless consumption of Western propaganda.
Thirdly, what adjective would you use to the Ukrainians shelling of small Russian cities and villages near boarder?
Russian history has more to add to this conversation regarding the “population” and taking in of their considerations when Russia’s elite made and make decisions. The population itself historically seems to have accepted this state of affairs.
(It is not “Russophobia” to remind of Russian military’s history when discussing Russian military tactics.)
"to remind of Russian military’s history"
Actually, you haven't reminded of anything specific.
Only because they were routed (and the whole front in that region collapsed, basically) so quickly that they didn't have time to roll out the usual scorched-earth tactic that is their calling card.
Blowing up that dam sure helped them get caught up towards that end, though.
Not that quickly. [0]
"the usual scorched-earth tactic that is their calling card"
That's russophobic fiction.
"Blowing up that dam sure helped them get caught up towards that end"
Here is a Washington Post article [0] about Ukrainians attacking the dam with American missile to test if they can blow it up:
"Kovalchuk considered flooding the river. The Ukrainians, he said, even conducted a test strike with a HIMARS launcher on one of the floodgates at the Nova Kakhovka dam, making three holes in the metal to see if the Dnieper’s water could be raised enough to stymie Russian crossings but not flood nearby villages.
The test was a success, Kovalchuk said, but the step remained a last resort. He held off."
There were many more attacks on that dam by the Ukraine [1] but I won't bother to try to find non-Russian sources, the WP article is enough.
[0] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/29/ukraine-offe...
[1] https://pikabu.ru/story/skolko_raz_vsu_obstrelivali_kakhovsk...
Ah, I see where this exchange is going.
He held off
While the Russians didn't. That's the key distinction between the two sides.
It's reality, I know that Russia and its supporters need their safe space from reality but unfortunately reality says they blew up the dam.
Theres multiple videos of Russians admitting to blowing up the dam, and theres also evidence they blew up another dam.
Committing war crimes with impunity to stop the enemies advance has been a Russian tactic for a long tine.
>> https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/16660615320803614...
>> "We mined everything on Kakhovka HPP. So, they'll f*king blow it up and will wash away Ukrainian Armed Forces on the other side" - a Russian says. The video was published on 10 December, 2022.
>> https://twitter.com/den_kazansky/status/1666003021925347328
>> Russian soldier Yegor Guzenko, who is fighting in the Kherson region, admitted that Russia blew up the dam in Nova Kakhovka to stop Ukrainian army He also said that the Russian army should also blow up other dams on the Dnieper
> "Kovalchuk considered flooding the river. The Ukrainians, he said, even conducted a test strike with a HIMARS launcher on one of the floodgates at the Nova Kakhovka dam, making three holes in the metal to see if the Dnieper’s water could be raised enough to stymie Russian crossings but not flood nearby villages.
> There were many more attacks on that dam by the Ukraine [1] but I won't bother to try to find non-Russian sources, the WP article is enough.
This is a typical Russian tactic of misinformation, Russia has themselves aid they hit the dam and has Russian propagandists where on TV saying they will blow up Kyiv dam if they want to.