Russia’s occupation forces register military unit at address of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Russia has registered its National Guard unit at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in an attempt to legitimize its ongoing illegal military presence at the nuclear station.
russia's occupation forces register military unit address zaporizhzhia nuclear plant left aerial view npp's power units (via ukrinform) right russian equipment inside one machine halls npp (screenshot from video shared
Left: aerial view of Zaporizhzhia NPP’s power units (via Ukrinform), right: Russian military equipment inside one of the machine halls of the NPP (screenshot from a video shared by Russian forces in March 2024).
Russia’s occupation forces register military unit at address of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

The Ukrainian Center for Investigative Journalism reported that a military unit of the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) has been registered in the occupied city of Enerhodar, with the legal address matching that of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station (NPP) in southeastern Ukraine, Europe’s largest and one of the world’s top ten, has been under Russian occupation since 2022. Captured by Russian forces during the Battle of Enerhodar in March 2022, its six nuclear reactors are shut down and no longer generate power. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regularly reports deterioration of safety conditions at the facility.

According to the report referring to Russian registries, military unit No. 6945 was registered on 30 July 2024 in occupied Enerhodar at the address of 133 Promyslova Street, which is the location of the industrial facilities of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

The founder’s rights are reportedly executed by the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, indicating Russia’s attempt to legitimize the illegal presence of its military forces at the plant, which has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.

As previously stated by Serhii Kyslytsia, Ukraine’s representative to the UN, the militarization of the Zaporizhzhia plant and surrounding occupied territories remains part of Russia’s military strategy. Moscow is using the plant as cover for artillery strikes against territories and settlements on the other side of the Dnipro River.

In March 2024, Russian military personnel released footage from the seized plant, showing the placement of armored vehicles inside the power units and soldiers jogging inside the facility.

According to a statement by the EU, Ukraine, and other European countries made at a UN Security Council meeting in April, the return of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under the full control of the Ukrainian authorities is the only solution that would end the current serious threats to nuclear safety.

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