Russia has turned the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant into a military base. On the territory of the plant, the occupiers have placed military equipment, weapons depots, and drone control points. This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, according to UNN.
Details
On the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, where all six reactors are in a state of "cold shutdown," Russian military personnel have placed equipment in the machine halls of power units No. 1, No. 2, No. 5, and No. 6.
" In the basement premises and bomb shelters of the plant, the invaders have set up weapons depots, and on the roofs of the reactor compartments, they have installed machine gun nests and missile systems. The Russians also store ammunition and military equipment under technical passages and overpasses connecting the power units to other buildings," the post reads.
In addition, the occupiers are deploying control points for kamikaze drones of the "gerbera-siker" and "geran-siker" type at the ZNPP. According to available data, workers from the special economic zone "Alabuga," including underage students, are involved in this process.
"The occupiers have mined certain technical premises of the plant located near the shoreline of the former Kakhovka Reservoir. The security of the seized ZNPP is provided by a contingent of the Russian National Guard numbering 1,500 occupiers. IAEA experts do not have full access to the power units and special technical premises of the plant. Inspections are carried out according to a pre-agreed plan and route, which significantly complicates or makes impossible an objective assessment of the situation at the ZNPP," the post reads.
A serious risk to the safety of the plant also remains its power supply. Before the occupation, the ZNPP had ten external power lines, but now only one power transmission line is operational. On July 3, 2026, another blackout occurred at the plant - the 21st since the full-scale invasion.
" Also, the Russian occupiers do not ensure the required water level in the cooling pond. As of July 2026, it stands at 12.86 meters, with a minimum required level of 15 meters. Of the 57 special deep wells, which are an important component of the cooling system, only 11 are equipped with the necessary high-power pumps. The water deficit for the needs of the ZNPP internal site is currently compensated by feeding from the discharge channel of the Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant. This situation threatens the normal functioning of the reactor cooling systems and the spent nuclear fuel storage facility," the post reads.
Recall
Due to an attack on the ZNPP substation, it remained without external power for the nineteenth time. The plant is operating on diesel generators to cool the six reactors.