Russian forces amass explosives and weaponry at the machinery room of Zaporizhzhia NPP

The Russian military amassed at least 14 units of heavy military equipment with ammunition, weapons, and explosives in the machinery room of the 1st power plant block of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, reports Enerhoatom (Ukrainian state enterprise operating all four nuclear power stations in Ukraine).

Earlier, Enerhoatom warned that the occupiers demanded the administration of the captured ZNPP to open the machinery rooms at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd power plant blocks, which would allow Russian forces to place their military arsenal there.

Now, the entire arsenal of amassed heavy equipment is located very close to the equipment that ensures the operation of the turbo-generator. In particular, near the main oil tank, which contains flammable oil that cools the steam turbine. There is also explosive hydrogen, which is used to cool the generator, Enerhoatom says.

Why is this dangerous?

The presence of Russian heavy military equipment in the machinery room blocks the access of specialized fire engines and other vehicles to the machinery room of the 1st power plant block of the ZNPP. This increases the risk of fire many times and makes extinguishing the fire extremely problematic. Enerhoatom warns if the ammunition detonates there, the scale of the fire may be equal to the disaster at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in 1986.

"The occupiers continue to cynically violate all the norms and requirements regarding fire, nuclear, and radiation safety of the NPP operation, keeping heavy military equipment, ammunition, weapons, and explosives just in the machinery room of the power plant block of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe," Enerhoatom said and once again called on the international community to take measures, as only Ukraine will be able to guarantee the smooth and safe operation of the ZNPP.

Capture of Zaporizhzhia NPP

On the night of March 4, the occupiers shelled one of the power plant blocks ZNPP causing a fire in the training building of the NPP, which was later extinguished. The Russian forces captured the territory of the plant, but the staff still controls the work of Zaporizhzhia NPP.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom had sent a group of eight nuclear specialists to the temporarily captured ZNPP, who were trying to take control of the plant. But President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Rosatom employees want to leave because they do not specialize in the work of the Ukrainian NPP.

According to the Head of Enerhoatom Petro Kotin, some 500 Russian service members, a lot of Russian equipment, and explosives are now on the territory of the ZNPP. The personnel of the NPP works under pressure from the occupiers.

Although the station's technical staff works under the guidance of Ukrainian specialists, ZNPP employees are forced to coordinate all their actions with the Russian commanders.