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​The UK Defense Intelligence Says russia Integrates ZNPP Actual Reactor Buildings in Tactical Defense Planning

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The largest nuclear facility in Europe seized by russian terrorists since March 4, 2022
The largest nuclear facility in Europe seized by russian terrorists since March 4, 2022

Imagery shows that by March 2023, Russian forces had established sandbag fighting positions on the roofs of several of the six reactor buildings at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)

That is according to a latest the U.K. Defense Ministry’s Defense Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.

Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, russian defensive positions constructed from sandbags on reactor buildings, Defense Express
Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant: russian defensive positions constructed from sandbags on reactor buildings

The U.K. Defense Intelligence says, that "this is the first indication of the actual reactor buildings being integrated in tactical defense planning" while russia has controlled ZNPP since March 2022. At the same time, the Intelligence service estimates, that "russia has likely constructed these positions because it is increasingly concerned about the prospects of a major Ukrainian offensive."

Read more: ​'Wagner' Militants Planted Explosives at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, When russian Troops Refused to Do That

According to the update, the move highly likely increases the chances of damage to ZNPP safety systems if fighting takes place around ZNPP. "However, direct catastrophic damage to the reactors is unlikely under most plausible scenarios involving infantry weapons because the structures are very heavily reinforced,” the U.K. Defense Intelligence states.

The UK Defense Intelligence says russia integrates ZNPP actual reactor buildings in tactical defense planning, Defense Express
The UK Defense Intelligence says russia integrates ZNPP actual reactor buildings in tactical defense planning

Zaporizhzhia NPP, having six reactors, is the largest nuclear facility in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world. It is under the control of Russia since 2022. On 4 March 2022, the nuclear and thermal power stations were both captured by Russian forces. As of 12 March 2022 the plant is reportedly controlled by the Russian company Rosatom. The plant continued to be operated by Ukrainian staff, under Russian control] until 11 September 2022, when the sixth reactor was disconnected.

Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest nuclear facility in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world, The UK Defense Intelligence says russia integrates ZNPP actual reactor buildings in tactical defense planning, Defense Express
Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest nuclear facility in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world

As Defense Express reported earlier, the UK Defense Intelligence Said There Was an "Internecine Struggle" Between russia's Military Over Approaches to the War in Ukraine. We also wrote that russia Continued to Spend Significant Resources for Little Success.

Read more: Europe’s Biggest Nuclear Power Plant in Zaporizhzhia Gets Shelled For the Third Time, Each Time Closer to Power Units