Translated with AI
Following a Russian military strike on the Pechenizhe Reservoir dam in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, vehicle traffic on the dam was halted. This was reported by Oleksandr Gusarov, head of the Pechenizhe village council, on Telegram.
According to the Kharkiv Region Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service, damage has made traffic unsafe on sections of the T-21-11 Chuguev-Pechenegi-Velykyi Burluk road near Pechenegi and the T-21-04 Kharkiv-Volchansk-Chugunovka checkpoint near Staryi Saltiv. Specialists are on site inspecting the damaged infrastructure and carrying out immediate restoration measures. A detour route has been established for traffic.
The Pechenezhskoye Reservoir is a run-of-river reservoir on the Seversky Donets River. Commissioned in 1962, it is the main source of drinking water for the city of Kharkiv, as well as several settlements in the Kharkiv region, according to Ukrinform.
The 16th Army Corps of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that it is prepared for the possible destruction of the Pechenig Dam and has already developed response plans. Specifically, backup routes have been prepared in case of a dam failure, and the necessary logistical resources have been stockpiled. The agency emphasized that the temporary loss of dam access will not have a critical impact on combat operations.
"If necessary, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are ready to restore the crossing as quickly as possible. For this purpose, we have specialized engineering assets and specialists working according to established procedures," the 16th Army Corps noted.
At the same time, the Ukrainian military emphasized that the Pechenigiya Dam is a critically important facility, providing water supplies to dozens of settlements in the Kharkiv region. Attempts to destroy it, they believe, have no military justification, constitute a gross violation of international humanitarian law, and constitute a war crime.
