As of August 6, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is operating with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety regulations due to the shelling of the Russians on August 5.
As reported by Energoatom, emergency protection was activated at one of the power units — one of the three working power units was disconnected. The nitrogen-oxygen station and the combined auxiliary housing were seriously damaged. There are still risks of hydrogen leakage and sputtering of radioactive substances.
"Ukrainian personnel of the station continue to work and make every effort for nuclear and radiation safety, as well as eliminate the consequences of damage. The nuclear power plant is still occupied and controlled by the Russian military. Considering the fact that it is impossible to predict the actions of the invaders, the threat to the physical security of the station remains," the message reads.
As reported by Ukrinform, according to Oleksandr Starukh, the head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Administration, power unit No. 4 was turned off at the station. In the event of an accident, evacuation is impossible.
"A prepared provocation took place in Energodar. Two power transmission lines were damaged, the fourth power unit was disconnected from the network. There is no great danger yet, but I must state that all our plans for evacuation [...] under such conditions as today are almost impossible to implement," said Starukh.
Citing sources, The Insider writes that since the beginning of August, Russian military activity has been suspicious at the station — they have been unloading cargo, probably ammunition, on the territory of the station. According to journalists, the Russians are mining the station — explosive cargo is placed near the power units and in the engine room.
The publicationʼs sources say that the station is currently home to approximately 500 Russian soldiers and military equipment, including armored personnel carriers, anti-aircraft guns and equipment for radio-chemical reconnaissance. The Russian military has already mined the area around the station.
Near the village of Vodyane, which is next to the NPP, there are Grad batteries, and Russian soldiers store mines and ammunition in the immediate vicinity of the power units, under overpasses, and some of the ammunition is even in the power unit itself.
Sources say that the attacks from jet systems on August 5 were a provocation. The Russians led the fire.
- On August 5, Russian troops shelled the industrial site of the ZNPP — they hit the high-voltage communication line of an autotransformer. After that, the station was hit by rocket systems of salvo fire.