Russians are entrenching themselves around ZNPP, but they are not letting go of the idea of escape – Reuters

In recent weeks, Russian invaders have been strengthening defensive positions in and around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant but are also preparing to evacuate from the ZNPP.

Source: Reuters

Quote: "New trenches have been dug around the city, and more mines have been laid. Surveillance cameras at the station point north across a wide reservoir towards Ukrainian-controlled territory. The Russians have had firing positions set up atop some of the plant's buildings for several months. Nets have been erected in a possible deterrent to drones."

Details: The measures described by two Ukrainians working at the ZNPP and two other residents of the city of Energodar highlight the risks to the facility's safety.

Reuters, citing four anonymous diplomats, reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plans to present an agreement between Ukraine and Russia regarding plant safety to the UN at the end of the month.

In turn, Petro Kotin, the head of Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear energy company, does not believe that the defenders will launch an attack directly on the ZNPP. Instead, they will try to force the Russians to retreat by blocking the supply routes.

According to his estimates, the number of Russian soldiers at the plant has recently increased from 500 to 1,500.

At the same time, although the troop build-up and additional defensive structures indicate that the occupying forces are digging in, there are also signs that the Russians have one eye on the exit.

ZNPP is located on the southern bank of the Kakhovsky Reservoir, which serves as a natural barrier on the way to the territory controlled by Ukraine in the north.

The ZNPP and the city of Energodar are connected to occupied Melitopol by a single main road, which provides Russia with a land corridor to the occupied Crimean peninsula.

According to Kotin, Russian troops will be forced to retreat if it appears that this road will be cut off.

He added that, in his opinion, Russian troops were already training at the plant to practice withdrawing troops. "In my opinion, they are preparing for evacuation, so they are bringing everything in one place to be ready to take everything and to get out of there," he said.

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