Russia hides number of victims of hydroelectric power plant explosion, at least hundreds killed in Oleshky – AP

The Russian occupiers deliberately concealed the true number of victims of the flood in the Kherson region, which was caused by the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam. At least hundreds of people died in the occupied Oleshky alone.

This was reported by Associated Press journalists with reference to medical workers, volunteers, people who left the occupation, and informants who passed various information to Ukrainian special services.

According to the journalists, the occupiers took control of the issuance of death certificates, quickly removed the bodies of people who were not sought by their relatives, did not allow medical workers and volunteers to take care of the dead, and threatened them if they ignored orders.

The sources include three medical workers who kept records of the dead in Oleshky. A volunteer buried the bodies, and two informants passed intelligence to the Security Service of Ukraine. They claim that the mass graves were dug up and the unidentified bodies taken away.

What happened in Oleshky

Employees of the occupation emergency service returned to Oleshky in the afternoon of June 9. It became known about the undermining of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam in the morning of June 6.

The occupiers forbade doctors to issue death certificates to flood victims. However, the documents could indicate other causes of death. Nurses were informed of this requirement orally.

According to the occupiers, the flood victims would allegedly have to be sent for autopsies to medical institutions in Kalanchak, Skadovsk and Genichesk, where they would issue certificates after the examination, without which people would not be able to bury their relatives.

One of the nurses claims that she appealed to the police to provide an “official order” confirming the updated form of work. However, the occupiers only responded with threats, as they did not have the relevant document.

Inspection by the occupiers

Every day, occupation police came to the medical facility and made copies of death certificates. They wanted to make sure that the new requirements were met.

The Russians gave residents separate phone numbers to call the police. People were sent to pick up the bodies, bypassing the hospital. At the same time, family members were charged 10 thousand rubles as a service fee.

People who did not have this amount of money begged doctors to indicate another cause of death in the certificate, such as a heart attack, so that they could quickly bury their relatives. But the bodies of people who were not searched for by their relatives disappeared.