KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian military’s long-anticipated counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces has begun, opening a phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and retaining Western support in the war. Ukraine’s troops intensified their attacks on the front line in the country’s southeast, according to four individuals in the country’s armed forces, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the battlefield developments.
That would explain why the Russians wanted to blow the Nova Kakhovka Dam. It would prevent a giant pincer movement from the Kherson direction if the Ukrainians are attacking South along Zaphorizhzhia.
Yes, from their perspective it was a tactical necessity and I even heard it described as making sense from western analytical perspectives I've heard for that reason. However, it's just another monstrous decision by the RUF, a war crime and provided ample additional suffering, grief and misery to the ukrainian citizens in the region for russia's stupidity. Terrible all around. Hoping Ukraine still has great success on it's offensive.