Following claims that a Ukrainian dam was deliberately demolished under his directive, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been bestowed with the epithet "Tiny Stalin," reminiscent of the bygone Soviet era, as per information gathered by RadarOnline.com.
RadarOnline.com had earlier reported that Russian forces stand accused of wreaking havoc on the Kakhovka dam located in Nova Kakhovka, a city under Russian control in Ukraine, on June 6.
Satellite imagery, gathered by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, revealed that the destruction of the dam unfolded over a span of days, leaving Moscow grappling with accusations of masterminding this detrimental blow to infrastructure, which they have vehemently denied.
With the dam's rupture, a staggering 4.8 billion gallons of water reportedly gushed into the Dnipro River, resulting in the inundation of numerous proximate towns and villages. Consequently, thousands of Ukrainian residents found themselves compelled to evacuate their homes.
Despite Kremlin officials laying the blame for the attack at Ukraine's doorstep, several sources point fingers directly at Putin, alleging that the Russian leader orchestrated the strike.
These same sources drew comparisons between Putin and Joseph Stalin, the notorious Soviet Union dictator whose reign spanned from 1924 until his demise in 1953.
According to historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, in a recent essay making parallels between Putin and Stalin as quoted by the Daily Star, "Putin mirrors a fraction of Stalin’s resolve to obliterate Ukraine’s nationality and independence, whatever the cost.”
"Putin envisages Stalin as an imperfect titan, a figure akin to Oliver Cromwell and Napoleon, destined for revolution," he elaborated. "However, it appears that Putin has transitioned from authoritarian governance to totalitarian subjugation.”
He added ominously, "Stalin-style trials, incarceration camps, executions could be the future: after all, Stalin's influence is deeply embedded in the Russian political fabric – and in Putin himself."
As reported previously by RadarOnline.com, the obliteration of the Kakhovka dam in Nova Kakhovka forms part of the recent escalations in the simmering conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities have disclosed that the deluge from the destroyed dam inundated multiple graveyards, thus tainting Ukraine's potable water supply with decomposed bodies.
Simultaneously, agricultural fields were laid waste, land mines were displaced, and power supply deficits grew more severe.
A volunteer rescuer on the scene shared, "Our water source is the Dnipro – but the cemeteries are now submerged, rendering the water unfit for consumption due to the presence of oil, remnants of the power station, and mines."
The volunteer lamented, "While the city is awash with water, there isn’t a drop safe to drink."