Zaporizhia nuclear power plant mined by Russian occupiers, warns the Main Directorate of Intelligence
Photo: the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov
Russian occupiers have additionally mined the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), specifically the cooling pond, according to the chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, during a national telethon.
He noted that the Russians' destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (HPP) dam disrupted the regular water supply to the cooling systems at ZNPP.
"But the second, the most terrifying thing, is that ZNPP has been additionally mined. And the scariest part is that the cooling system has been mined. If they render it inoperable, significant problems are highly likely," he said.
The situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
The Russians occupied the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in the spring of 2022, and the facility is controlled by the Russian company "Rosatom".
However, the station continues to be operated by Ukrainian personnel under the aggressors' control.
The occupiers have recently intensified the station's militarization.
After the sabotage of the Kakhovka HPP, the risks for the nuclear plant have increased. The destruction of the dam by the Russians threatens the safety of ZNPP's operation due to the cooling pond's lowering of the water level.
On June 15, ZNPP was inspected by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi. He stated that the water level remains sufficient for the station to maintain safety for a "certain period".
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russia wants to sabotage the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant to destabilize Ukraine and pressure Kyiv into stopping the conflict.
