US Satellites Detected Explosion Just Before Dam Collapse - The New York Times

US spy satellites equipped with infrared sensors detected a heat signature consistent with a major explosion just before the dam collapsed at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.

The New York Times cites an unnamed senior US presidential administration official.

US intelligence analysts suspect that Russia is behind the dam's destruction but still have no convincing evidence of those responsible.

The Biden administration official does not rule out that previous damage to the dam or increased water pressure could have contributed to the collapse, but US officials believe that the collapse was caused by an explosion.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Kakhovka HPP has been temporarily occupied by Russians. Last autumn, the President of Ukraine and Ukrainian intelligence reported that the Russian military had mined the HPP.

Norwegian scientists also captured seismic signals confirming the explosion at Kakhovka HPP. NORSAR scientists reported clear signals of explosions on June 6 at 2:54 a.m. local time.

Photo: Maxar Technologies, via Reuters