Russian forces still control Enerhodar’s perimeter

Alyona Mazurenko – Saturday, 5 March 2022, 19:32

Russian occupying forces are still in control of the perimeter of Enerhodar, the town in the Zaporizhia region where the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant is located.

Source: Enerhodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov, Head of the Zaporizhia Regional State Administration Oleksandr Staruh

Orlov reported that the information published earlier reporting that Russian troops have left Enerhodar is not accurate and that they still control the perimeter of the town.

According to Orlov: "Unfortunately, the information that Russian troops have completely left Enerhodar does not correspond to reality. Currently they are in control of the perimeter of the city and remain at the nuclear power plant."

Details: According to Orlov, the local government is overseeing law and order, and all essential services.

Earlier: Staruh reported that Russian forces had left Enerhodar: "Russian troops have left the city, local government control has been restored, and the head of local government is there doing his job.

It was a terrible night. They [the Russian troops] robbed everything there, they’re just an army of hoodlums. They killed one person in Berdyansk to get access to their phone, they stole laptops. Why do they need a laptop in the field? It’s not clear at all. We resumed work, though there are some things we still need. Now we will try to coordinate humanitarian convoys and deliver fuel to Enerhodar."

Staruh did not speak about the situation at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Background:

• As of 15:00, it was reported that the government of Enerhodar had returned to the executive committee building and that the city would be patrolled by local residents. A safe evacuation for Enerhodar residents was not yet possible.
• Towards the night of 4 March, Kadyrovites (the Chechen paramilitary group supporting the Russian Armed Forces) opened fire on the Zaporizhia power plant, setting it on fire. The threat of nuclear disaster was announced at the station.
• Later, the power plant came under the control of the Kadyrovites.
• Adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vadym Denysenko said that three National Guardsmen were killed in the fighting in Enerhodar.
• The Office of the President of Ukraine believes that Russian command were aware of the danger that a large-scale attack on the Zaporizhiya nuclear power plant posed to the world
• As of the morning of 4 March, only one reactor was operating at the station.