President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is warning that around 42,000 people are at serious risk from flooding of Ukraine’s Nova Kakhovka dam that was blown up on June 6, most likely by Russia. There’s also concern the breach — which is in the Russian-occupied Kherson region — could wash away this season’s crops.

Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan looks at the long-term effects caused by the collapsed dam and considers whether it could lead to an eventual famine in the region.

Excerpted from Peter’s June 7 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:

On June 6th, the Russians destroyed the Nova Kakhovka Dam at the head of a large reservoir on the Dnieper River. This is a logical move for the Russians … at least in the short-term.

To impede the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the Russians eliminated one of the few viable land crossings in the area and caused flooding further downriver. I wouldn’t expect this to be an isolated event, either. As the Russians seek to inhibit Ukrainian advances, other crossings and dams will likely be targeted.

In addition, the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant’s coolant water could be jeopardized by this move. As of now, it appears there will not be a crisis, but I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed.

However, the key component of this move illuminates what Russia’s strategy might be; by destroying the Nova Kakhovka Dam, they wiped out four canal systems … three of which represent critical infrastructure for agriculture in southern Ukraine and Crimea. Russia has made it clear they have little intention of holding this land — and are attempting to make it as hard as possible for anyone else to do so.

By adopting this scorched earth policy, Russia could very well trigger ANOTHER famine throughout this region.