In May 2014, Ukraine cut water supplies to Crimea from the Kherson Region via the North Crimean canal

Col. Leighton failed to mention this fact in his analysis. American disinformation.

• The Dnipro River has become a decisive front line, this is where the battle for Crimea will be fought | Le Monde - April 2023 |
• Crimea's water reservoirs have enough water for two years -- authorities | Tass - Nov. 11, 2022 |

Crimea's water reservoirs have enough water for two years and will be able to meet the peninsula's entire demand in case the Ukrainian authorities implement their threats and blow up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant's dam, Crimea's Prime Minister Vladimir Konstantinov said.

"From the point of view of the actual situation, Crimea is not dependent on water from the North Crimean canal. We have been living without it for eight years. We have done a lot. We have a program for water supplies until 2024. <...> Water resources in Crimea's water reservoirs - they are all full - are enough for two year, even if there is no rain. <...> Nevertheless, we count on the North Crimean canal as a source for Crimea's development," he said.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov | Kyiv Post - June 7 |

The Crimean peninsula's water supply is fed by water from the Dnipro River, which flow through the North Crimean Canal, located in Nova Kakhovka. According to Danilov, water supply to Crimea will be impossible "for the next three, five, ten years, until this dam is rebuilt."

The bridge across the Dnieper on the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station was put out of action. According to the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, this happened on the night of August 12 as a result of accurate strikes by the Ukrainian army.

"As part of the performance of fire missions by rocket and artillery units, the automobile bridge of the Novaya Kakhovka dam was hit with a control exception of using it for its intended purpose," said Vladislav Nazarov, a spokesman for the South operational command.

Thus, the bridge is disabled and cannot be used to move military equipment.

The bridge near the hydroelectric power station in Nova Kakhovka is one of three crossings across the Dnieper in the Kherson region. The other two are the Antonovsky automobile bridge near Kherson and the railway bridge, located six kilometers apart.

Disabling any of these crossings means serious logistical problems for the Russian army based in the area on both banks of the Dnieper. The Kakhovskiy Bridge is already the second object that has become unsuitable for communication. Earlier, as a result of shelling by the Ukrainian army, the Antonovsky automobile bridge was damaged, and the transfer of heavy military equipment across it is now also impossible.
[...]
Ukrainian troops systematically strike at bridges in the Kherson region.

In July, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired at the Antonovsky bridge. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine previously delivered strikes on the Daryevsky bridge across the Ingulets River, which connects two parts of the Russian-occupied territory on the right bank of the Kherson region.
[...]

Did you mean to search for: The Ukrainian Armed Forces disabled the Kakhovsky bridge across the Dnieper. Can this be considered the beginning of the blockade of Russian troops near Kherson? August 13, 2022