Published October 27,2025
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Russian authorities declared a state of emergency on Monday for a dam in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine that was damaged by Ukrainian drones.
The water level in the artificial lake has dropped by 1 metre, the Russian water authority told the TASS news agency.
Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov called on residents living below the dam to exercise caution.
The commander of the Ukrainian drone forces, Robert Brovdi, confirmed attacks on the dam on Sunday.
The water from the river had flooded Russian positions near the village of Grafovka, he said.
From there, the river flows into Ukrainian territory, where Russian troops have held a small bridgehead near Vovchansk since 2024.
International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on dams or other objects where damage can unleash destructive forces - unless they are not being used for their usual purposes but to support acts of war.
Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka dam in the summer of 2023, causing a huge flood wave that flooded large areas of southern Ukraine. There were many victims. Russia also targeted hydropower plants on the Dnipro River.
