back upstream, you can t really see what is left of the dam and hydroelectric plant. so who did this? russia controls this area, but blames ukraine. kyiv is in no doubt. translation: the kakhovka hydroelectric power station. l it was an absolutely deliberate, prepared explosion. they knew exactly what they were doing. translation: tonight, i the kyiv regime committed another terrorist crime. the kakhovka hydroelectric dam was blown up, which led to the flooding of significant territories. so what is the significance of the dam? it provides water to huge swathes of agricultural land, including in crimea, and the reservoir behind it provides water to cool the zaporizhzhia nuclear plant further up river. both areas are under russia control. the reservoir is huge. the dnipro river is especially wide here. 150 miles long, and up to m miles across. this is what the dam looks like undamaged. our colleagues at bbc verify say this image of a smaller breach was taken just days ago. but
controls and rush occupies. close to dnipro s mouth is her son. when artillery road didn t take long to find out what life is like. is kherson. when our team arrived. russia may have retreated here last year but they aren t far away. it takes a lot in this place to meet people leave. back upstream you can t see what is left of the dam and the hydroelectric plant. russia controls this area but blames ukraine. kyiv is in no doubt. translation: the powerstation was a prepared explosion. they knew exactly what they were doing. tonight the kyiv regime committed another terrorist crime. the h dro another terrorist crime. the hydro is another terrorist crime. the hydro is that another terrorist crime. the hydro is that was another terrorist crime. the hydro is that was grown up, leading hydro is that was grown up, leading to flooding of several territories. so leading to flooding of several territories. territories. so what is the significance territories. so what is th
hi there, thank you for being with us. the authorities in ukraine say more than 42,000 people are at risk from flooding, after the collapse of a major dam in the south of the country on tuesday. president putin has said ukraine was behind the breach, which he called a barbaric act . while kyiv and moscow blame each other, once again, it s civilians paying a heavy price for russia s war. this is the scene in the city of kherson entire houses and streets submerged underwater. some people waiting to be rescued in affected areas have been forced to spend the night on their roofs, or in trees as the waters rose. the dam supplies water to large tracts of agricultural land, including in crimea. and the reservoir behind it provides water to cool the zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant further upriver. both areas are under russian control. the united nations says the dam collapse will have grave and far reaching consequences . 0ur ukraine correspondent james waterhouse is in the city