After invading Ukraine in 2022, Russia quickly blew up a Ukrainian-constructed dam that blocked the water supply to the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. The canal is of vital strategic importance to Moscow as it provides drinking water and contributes to irrigation systems in the area.

Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan argues that Ukraine has its own reasons to take back control of the canal.

Excerpted from Peter’s May 30 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:

There’s a canal that runs from Kherson to the Crimean Peninsula and serves as the area’s sole irrigation water source. And with how dry the region is, this canal is critical to the Crimean Peninsula.

While an assault on Nova Kakhovka might not be in the cards for the Ukrainians, targeting the sluice gate regulating the canal’s flow might still be their priority. That’s because there’s more than just food production on the line. The Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant draws its coolant water from the Kakhova reservoir, and without that, some nuclear … issues could be on the agenda.

With the potential for a Zaporizhzia offensive, the strategic rationale behind targeting this canal is solid. Only time will tell if the Ukrainians capitalize on the opportunity to cut off the Russians and Crimea.