Ukrainian deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar: "According to available information, it has become known that the enemy is moving its most combat-ready units from the Kherson direction, primarily marines, airborne troops and the 49th Army. Therefore, the purpose of the Russians' explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant becomes obvious. Thus, taking into account its own losses and limited reserves, thus realizing the inability to deter the Ukrainian offensive in different directions, the command of the Russian occupation forces decided to 'narrow' the possible geography of the Armed Forces' active actions. The explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was obviously carried out in order to prevent the Ukrainian Defense Forces from launching an offensive in the Kherson sector and to free up the necessary reserves for their deployment to the Zaporizhzhia and Bakhmut sectors. Also, by destroying the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, the Russian leadership is trying to divert some of the forces and resources of the Ukrainian Defense Forces to eliminate the man-made disaster, thereby making it impossible to liberate the occupied territories on the left bank of the Kherson region."