A zoological garden in occupied Nova Kakhovka, "Kazkova Dibrova," is completely flooded due to the explosion at the Kakhovka dam, the animal rights organization UAnimals said on June 6.
"Only swans and ducks could escape," the organization wrote.
UAnimals learned this from a source in the zoo's management, who remained anonymous for security reasons.
"We tried our best to save the zoo under the occupation. Now, it does not exist anymore," the source said, as cited by UAnimals.
Ukraine's Southern Operational Command reported early in the morning of June 6 that Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka dam, causing massive flooding of villages downstream of the Dnipro River.
The city of Nova Kakhovka was occupied by Russian forces shortly after the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
The exiled mayor of Nova Kakhovka, Volodymyr Kovalenko, reported major flooding in the city in the early morning hours of June 6.
As of 6:30 a.m. Kyiv time, Kovalenko said that the Nova Kakhovka's theater and a boat station were flooded, and water was approaching other areas in the city.
The mayor added that it was difficult to get in touch with his sources in Nova Kakhovka due to unstable internet, which he called an attempt by Russian occupation authorities to avoid information from spreading.
Igor Kossov
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