Ukrainian hydropower company Ukrhydroenergo says the dam was destroyed by an explosion in the engine room. That is located on the eastern side of the dam, and images confirm that part collapsed. Satellite images from the company Maxar yesterday also show how a section of the road over the dam has been removed, whereas it was still there a week ago.
Ukraine has for several weeks accused the Russian occupation forces of keeping the level of the reservoir artificially high by keeping the dam's valves closed. Independent water level data confirmed that the water level had suddenly risen very sharply in recent weeks to record levels not seen since measurements began in 1992. In the weeks before, just the opposite happened and the Russians seemed to have kept the water level artificially low, to more than two meters below average. If pressure caused the dam to burst, that may have been the Russians' intention. The Ukrainian army may now face a huge problem just as it is ramping up its counteroffensive. A large-scale attack in this region was very difficult anyway due to the wide river and lack of bridges. Now that the dam has burst, and the whole region is underwater, that option becomes completely impossible.