Russian Soldiers Increase Armored Vehicles and Set Up Infantry Base at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Russian invaders have placed combat armored vehicles and infantry units inside the buildings of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

The footage showing the armored vehicles was shared in the Skelety Shevchyka i Ko Telegram channel.

The photos reveal at least four BTR-80 armored personnel carriers, which are specifically designed for combat operations.

In addition, the images show gun positions, a Russian soldier armed with a Pecheneg machine gun, and firing positions.

This indicates that an infantry unit has been stationed at the plant on a permanent basis.

These weapons have nothing to do with the protection of a nuclear facility and can only be used for military purposes against Ukrainian forces.

In September, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Russian military forces are restricting the mission’s access to certain areas of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

In particular, IAEA representatives were denied access to the diesel fuel storage, preventing them from verifying the actual fuel reserves.

Additionally, the agency’s experts have repeatedly documented attacks near the plant site, posing a threat to the nuclear safety of the entire European continent.

Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on March 4, 2022, during the battles for Enerhodar. By March 12, 2022, it was reported that the plant’s operations had come under the control of the Russian state-owned company Rosatom.

Currently, the plant is operated by Ukrainian personnel who work under pressure from the invaders. Workers are being forced to obtain Russian passports and sign contracts with “Rosatom.”

In August–September 2023, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine made at least three attempts to cross the Dnipro River near Enerhodar to liberate the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.