A car with explosives turned out to be on the blown up dam, this can be seen in the footage from the drone

A car on top of the New Kakhovka Dam appears to be loaded with explosives Photo: Ukrainian military

A car with explosives was on top of the Kakhovka Dam when it collapsed earlier this month, as seen in drone footage.

An aerial image provided by the Ukrainian military to the Associated Press (AP) shows a white car loaded with explosives parked at the Nova Kakhovka dam. Kiev says the drone photo shows Russia had the means to destroy the dam.

Two Ukrainian officials also told AP that Russian troops were in a critical area inside the dam when, reportedly, , an explosion occurred.

At least 52 people died when the Novaya Kakhovka dam on the Russian-occupied bank of the Dnieper River was destroyed. the river broke on June 6, flooding a large area on both sides.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Aerial image shows a white car loaded with explosives parked by a dam. Photo: Ukrainian military. nuances.

On Sunday, the United Nations said it had offered Russia assistance in the aftermath of a natural disaster on the illegally occupied left bank of the Dnieper, but its offer was rejected.

Russian and Ukrainian volunteers have previously complained that the Russian military blocked several flood-affected villages and towns, leaving people there to die.

The first images of the town of Holaya Pristan, taken after the flood, show emergency workers recovering several bodies over the weekend stuck in their homes or floating in flooded streets.

At least 52 people died when a dam burst in Novaya Kakhovka , flooding a large area on both sides. Photo: satellite image 'Maxar Technologies, 2023

The collapse of the dam caused deadly flooding, endangered the world's breadbasket crops, endangered the drinking water supply of thousands, and prevented Ukraine from taking Russian positions in the counteroffensive .

Each side blamed the other for the destruction of the dam.

Russia benefited from the timing of the massive flooding that followed the explosion, although the areas it occupies were also affected by the flooding and the consequences could be more serious than expected.