Shelagh Fogarty 1pm - 4pm
Ukrainians 'frustrated' at allegations they're responsible for dam explosion, according to aid worker
7 June 2023, 17:56
Caller" Ukrainians are 'frustrated' at idea they have blown up the Nova Kakhovka dam themselves
Caller David said that it is "fantasy land" to believe that Ukrainians may have blown up the Nova Kakhovka dam.
In what has been deemed a "potential war crime" the Nova Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine was destroyed on Tuesday releasing a flood of water into the region.
It is unclear who is responsible for the destruction, with some debate as to whether Ukrainian troops could be responsible
Waters continue to swell in southern Ukraine after dam breach
Caller David who had been in Ukraine as recently as Sunday, told Shelagh Fogarty that Ukrainians are 'frustrated' at implications by the media that they may have blown up the dam themselves.
With Shelagh responding that that is "not the line I am going down" but reiterating that it remains unclear who the perpetrator of the explosion was, she said: "It is pretty clear who it serves and who it doesn't serve."
David continued, saying there is "no evidence" to suggest the Ukrainians could have blown up the dam, also referring to the fact that the dam is in a Russian-controlled area, saying that Ukrainian troops would have needed "at least a dozen" people to enter the dam in order to carry out the explosions.
He branded the idea they were involved as "fantasy land".
Ukraine dam collapse is "ongoing disaster" says Editor of the New Voice of Ukraine
He went on: "It is one of the worst environmental catastrophes since the second World War...nothing survived there."
"I've watched Ukrainians soldiers risk their lives to save a dog, I don't believe that they would allow something like that to happen," David asserted.
He continued: "Four hundred thousand hectares of agricultural land has been ruined and probably won't be recoverable for fifty years."
"The damage...if a Ukrainian had ordered that to happen he would be lynched!" he concluded.
READ MORE: Ukraine rushes drinking water to flooded areas after major dam breach