Russia scheming to frame Zelenskyy over dam sabotage claims, Ukrainian intelligence says

Ukrainian officials are monitoring Russian plans for an information operation aimed at spreading false accusations against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant attack in Kherson Oblast, reported the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.

Intelligence reports that it has received information that the Kremlin has launched a new stage of a campaign to discredit the Ukrainian leadership — a series of materials have been prepared that, according to Moscow's plan, should shift the blame for the demolition of the Kakhovka HPP to Ukraine and create conditions for a political crisis.

The titles of the publications are of a clickbait nature and contain direct accusations against the military and political leadership of Ukraine and President Zelenskyy personally:

— "If I can't have it, no one will! Desperate to succeed in a possible offensive, Zelenskyy switches to scorched-earth tactics, but directed against his own people";

— "The explosion of the dam should 'wash away' Zelenskyy";

— "Zelenskyy is doing everything to stop being 'our scoundrel'";

— "Blowing up the dam will drown Zelenskyy and Ukraine."

HUR claims that comments from fake accounts allegedly on behalf of Ukrainian and foreign users will be placed under each article — they should create the impression of a "live" discussion and involve real people in the discussion.

The budget of the Russian project is approximately $6 million, with the possibility of further increase, the report says.

Early on Tuesday, the Russian occupiers blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, and an evacuation was duly announced.

Ukrhydroenergo stated that the Kakhovka HPP was completely destroyed after the explosion and cannot be restored. The demolition of the station can only be explained as an act of terrorism, solving no other tasks would require such a complete destruction of the dam, said the general director of Ukrhydroenergo.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that blowing up the Kakhovka HPP will not stop Ukraine from liberating its territories.