Ukrainian dam breach: What happened and what’s at stake?

Ukraine has accused Russian forces of blowing up the facility, while Russian officials blamed Ukrainian military strikes.

Local residents try to ride their bikes along a flooded road after the Kakhovka dam blew overnight, in Kherson, Ukraine. Picture: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

The dramatic rupture of the dam that upheld Ukraine’s largest reservoir released a torrent of water Tuesday, raising fears of widespread damage and flooding in areas where tens of thousands of people live.

It’s not clear what caused the breach in the Kakhovka dam, which was already damaged. Ukraine accused Russian forces of blowing up the facility, while Russian officials blamed Ukrainian military strikes.