It is the second major explosion in four days in the city, home to a major hydroelectric dam and a link to Crimea’s water supply via the North Crimea Canal. Video posted on social media shows loud explosions and a huge fireball lighting up the night sky. Serhiy Khlan, a Ukrainian official who is a member of the Kherson regional council, said on Facebook: “In Nova Kakhovka minus one Russian ammunition depot. They brought, brought, piled up, collected and now they have fireworks at night.” Khlan, who is not in Kherson, warned residents of Nova Kakhovka not to go outside. “Please take care of yourself and stay away from the blast site,” he said. Russia’s state-run TASS news agency did not report a munitions dump explosion, but late Wednesday reported: “The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the Kakhovka hydroelectric station in the Kherson region, a source said.” However, the deputy head of the Russian-backed military-civilian administration in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, said the Ukrainian missiles did not hit the hydroelectric plant. TASS later reported that warehouses holding potassium nitrate had exploded. Potassium nitrate is a highly flammable substance used as an ingredient in fertilizer and was the cause of the explosion in Beirut two years ago. CNN could not confirm the cause of the explosions or what was destroyed. “There are casualties, the market, hospital and houses were damaged,” TASS reported, citing the Russian-backed civil-military administration in Kherson. Ukrainian forces have stepped up attacks using rockets and long-range artillery against Russian command posts and munitions in the past week.
