--- title: "Ukraine Situation Report: Russia’s Demolition Of Roadway Over Dam Seen In Incredible Video (Updated)" description: "Footage shows Russian forces blowing the bridge at Nova Kakhovka Dam after [fleeing]() the Dnieper’s western bank on November 11." date: "2022-11-12" modified: "2022-11-12" authors: - name: "Stetson Payne" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/stetson-payne" url: "https://www.twz.com/ukraine-situation-report-russias-demolition-of-roadway-over-dam-seen-in-incredible-video" categories: - "Around The Globe" - "Europe" - "News & Features" - "Russia" - "Ukraine" tags: - "Ukraine" --- # Ukraine Situation Report: Russia’s Demolition Of Roadway Over Dam Seen In Incredible Video (Updated) ![Dan Blown Up Ukraine]() *Uncredited* Footage shows Russian forces blowing the bridge at Nova Kakhovka Dam after [fleeing]() the Dnieper’s western bank on November 11. The massive explosion left a huge cloud of smoke in its wake and brilliant secondary explosions at nearby transmission lines. Attacks on Russian positions in the nearby city reportedly continued after the bridge blew, as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSH7yTe8SgA https://twitter.com/EmineDzheppar/status/1591411812515606529 https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1591166872585895936 https://twitter.com/TpyxaNews/status/1591411124502949889 Ukrainian [strikes targeted]() this and other Russian-held [crossings]() on the Dnieper throughout the summer, notably the Antonivsky Bridge closer to the city of Kherson. New drone footage showed what remains of the bridge partially submerged in the Dnieper. https://twitter.com/blue\_sauron/status/1591512395406532609?s=46&t=emxEQir-u1CVH2F9iz2r0g Kyiv [claimed in October]() that Russia had rigged the dam to explode, threatening to flood areas downstream to cover its retreat. In our exclusive interview with Ukraine's intel chief, Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, he made it clear the roadways are likely Russia's target: ***TWZ:** You’ve talked about the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant Dam [being mined in April.]() Do you really think the Russians will blow that up?* ***KB:** In our assessment, if such a decision is taken, they will only blow up the road that goes over the dam to make it impossible to use for our vehicles and also the water locks of the dam which will cause only a partial ruination of the facility.* ***TWZ:** If they do that, will it impede your ability to retake Kherson?* ***KB:** No. This might happen when we take Kherson and if they decide to withdraw. After withdrawal from the west bank, they might turn to doing it to obstruct our advancement to the east bank.* Regardless, few expected these crossings to last long once Russian forces made [their retreat]() official, with spectacular nighttime explosions sealing their fate. Before heading into today’s news from Ukraine, *The War Zone* readers can get caught up on our previous rolling coverage [here](). **THE LATEST** Kherson’s [liberation]() led to countless scenes of Ukrainian civilians greeting yellow-banded troops and celebrating the Russian retreat. https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1591358914255257602 https://twitter.com/Shtirlitz53/status/1591473802927644674 Video from Kherson’s central square showed crowds had grown considerably since the first handful met troops there on November 11. https://twitter.com/Biz\_Ukraine\_Mag/status/1591427429775675426 In one village, a Ukrainian grandmother did more than welcome the troops, an ammo can in one hand and a belt of machine gun rounds in the other. https://twitter.com/JimmySecUK/status/1591413079291875330 The moment evoked memories of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s reply in the invasion’s earliest days. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry poked fun at the role reversal with a meme of Zelensky and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1591348170252255237 [Starlink]() quickly made an appearance in the liberated city, with a terminal set up for residents to communicate with relatives elsewhere across Ukraine. https://twitter.com/JimmySecUK/status/1591417328134402050 As in the case [in previous]() Russian retreats of varied coordination, they left a lot of things behind. With each day the retreat grew more inevitable, so too did the prospect of huge Russian equipment losses. Russian troops abandoned sizable supply caches, previously captured helicopters, and reportedly a complete [S-300 SAM]() system in their flight back across the Dnieper. There’s also the issue of Russian soldiers who didn’t make it across the river, with some reportedly ditching uniforms to evade Ukrainian forces. https://twitter.com/666\_mancer/status/1591438986463305729 https://twitter.com/666\_mancer/status/1591423505303801856 https://twitter.com/dpatrikarakos/status/1591425308770574336 https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1591388101741801473 https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1591409862378139649 Like on previous fronts abandoned by Russian forces, troops have left behind [booby-traps]() like the one hidden beneath an anti-tank mine seen here. https://twitter.com/markito0171/status/1591452496563965957 Beyond Kherson, it appears Russia is well into putting up defensive positions on the Dnieper’s west bank. Satellite imagery shows a new Russian base likely built with acute awareness of how far Ukraine’s [M142 HIMARS]() can now reach. https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1591499051446697986 https://twitter.com/ArtisanalAPT/status/1591500430693240832 Moscow also remains wary of a potential Ukrainian offensive in Zaporizhia Oblast, with satellite imagery showing extensive fortifications along the frontline from Enerhodar toward the Donbas further east. The defenses make more sense given President Zelensky’s claim that Ukraine intends to liberate Russian-held areas of not only the Donbas, but also Crimea. https://twitter.com/Tatarigami\_UA/status/1591521223229722624 https://twitter.com/TpyxaNews/status/1591525751706497024?s=20&t=4lEAzQ6wVIUeVXsrCzWn1g ***UPDATE:*** Two weeks removed from the stunning Ukrainian [attack]() on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in [Sevastopol](), satellite imagery shows the fleet's warships are unusually inactive within the harbor's confines. Analyst H I Sutton (@CovertShores) tweeted the imagery that showed no Russian warships active in the oft-used patrol zones outside the base. https://twitter.com/CovertShores/status/1591446332350267392 It's unclear whether the drop in activity is related to a threat from Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels ([USV]()), though the unprecedented October 29 attack looms large over the Black Sea. We wrote about Ukraine finally showcasing these USVs earlier this week, which you can read about [here](). A Russian Telegram channel claims that Russia has obtained a complete "MLRS missile" used by the U.S.-supplied M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS 227mm rocket launchers. The channel Colonel Cassad alleged Russia is studying the missile after the use of a third country getting it to Russian territory, though it is not clear which variant of the rockets was allegedly recovered. *The War Zone* reached out to the Pentagon for comment Friday afternoon and will update this story with a response. Russian claims on HIMARS have ranged from dubious to outrageous since their introduction early in the summer. Getting full missile without it first smashing into a Russian target would be a huge but unlikely intelligence coup for Moscow if true. We will continue to update this post if more info comes available. *Contact the author: [stetson.payne@thewarzone.com]()* ### Author social links