Ukraine dismisses Russian suggestion it plans attacks on own power dams

(Reuters) - Ukraine's Foreign Ministry dismissed an allegation by a Russian official on Friday that Kyiv was planning to stage attacks on the country's own power dams in order to blame Russia for the assault, describing the statement as a new intimidation tactic.

"The real purpose of such statements by Moscow is to intimidate Ukrainian society and mislead the international community and the media," the ministry statement said.

"There can be no realistic purpose or motive for Ukraine to destroy its own infrastructure or endanger its own people. As for 'putting the blame on Russia', the Russian regime is doing a good job of that with its own war crimes."

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in comments reported by the Tass news agency, had earlier said Ukraine was plotting to destroy two dams in "yet another cynical provocation against Russia".

Zakharova, who offered no evidence for her allegations, said Ukraine was "preparing to destroy" the Kyiv hydropower dam on the Dnipro River outside the capital and the Kaniv reservoir downstream.

Last year, the Kakhovka reservoir, still further downstream on the Dnipro, was destroyed, flooding large areas of southern Ukraine and causing widespread damage.

The dam was under the control of Russian occupying forces at the time and Ukraine accused them of blowing it up. Russia denied the allegation and said Ukraine was responsible.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Frances Kerry)