The level of water in the Kakhovka Reservoir is 12.5 meters as of the evening of Thursday, which is lower than the so-called "dead" point of 12.7 meters, below which water pumping is impossible.

"The water level is already 12.5 meters. This is lower than the 'dead' point of 12.7 meters, below which we cannot pump water for the settlements and the ZNPP," Head of Ukrhydroenergo Ihor Syrota said on the air of the national telethon on Thursday.

The drop in water level is likely to stop at approximately 3 meters, he said.

"If the dam in the lower part is destroyed to the very foundation, the depth of the reservoir will be no more than 3 meters, and it will decrease in width from 3.5 kilometers, as it was before the explosion, to 1-1.2 kilometers, that is, it will return to the Dnieper bed as it was before the construction of the reservoir itself," Syrota said.

"Now the reservoir is dropping by 1 meter per day, and then its decline will continue for another 7-8 days," he said.

The official noted that a half of the power plant is already completely covered with water, the second half is 70% sunk. The earth insert between the airlock and the power plant is also already under water and is subject to washing out.