White House: US cannot conclusively determine cause of Ukrainian dam destruction

A local resident speaks on her mobile phone on an embankment of the Dnipro river which flooded after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kherson, Ukraine June 6, 2023. REUTERS/Ivan Antypenko

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday said it could not say conclusively what caused the destruction of a massive dam in Ukraine, but was assessing reports that the blast was caused by Russia, which has been occupying the dam since last year.

Spokesman John Kirby said it was clear that the destruction of the dam on the Dnipro River that separates Russian and Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine had likely caused "many deaths" and the evacuation of thousands of Ukrainians.