The Russians' trick: The nuclear power plant is used as a fort
Of: Nivette Dawod
Published: Less than 2 hours ago
NEWS
Russia is using Europe's largest nuclear power plant to fire rockets at Ukraine, writes The New York Times.
In this way, Ukrainian forces cannot respond to the attacks.
- Using such an object as a shield is very dangerous, says Oleksandr Sayuk, mayor of the nearby city of Nikopol.
Russia has occupied the nuclear power plant in the city of Zaporizhzhya since early March, shortly after the invasion began.
This has led to concern around the world.
The fears have included, among other things, whether the nuclear power plant, which is Europe's largest, would be exposed to shelling, but also about a possible radiation risk if the Russians were to cause a nuclear accident.
For the residents of the nearby city of Nikopol, danger has been close for a long time, and many have fled, writes The New York Times.
The nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya, Europe's largest. Photo: WIKIPEDIA
Used as a fort
But during the summer the situation has become increasingly serious.
Since July, just in time for the Ukrainian military to start receiving deliveries of the American robotic system HIMARS, Russian soldiers have started using the nuclear power plant as a fort, the Ukrainian military told the newspaper.
They fire rockets at Ukrainian forces - who cannot respond with counterattacks.
- They hide so that they cannot meet. Why else would they be at the nuclear plant? Using such an object as a shield is very dangerous, says Oleksandr Sayuk, mayor of Nikopol.
NYT has interviewed pensioner Halyna Hrashchenkova, whose house was shelled by Russian forces.
- We are like condemned prisoners who can only sit still and be shot at. They shoot at us and there is nothing we can do, she says.
Russian soldiers patrol in Kherson. Photo: AP
More difficult to recapture Kherson
The attacks also make it more difficult for Ukraine to realize plans to retake the city of Kherson,(verklighet av planerna om att återta staden Cherson,) located southwest of Nikopol, which has been under Russian occupation since the start of the war.
Counterattacks around Nikopol and Zaporizhzhya must take place with clear precision, so that the reactors at the nuclear power plant are not destroyed.
On July 22, such a counterattack was carried out, according to the Ukrainian military.
Then a special drone was used to blow up, among other things, an anti-aircraft installation and several soldiers just over 130 meters from one of the nuclear power reactors.
So far, Zaporizhzhya has six reactors
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Svårare att återta Cherson
Attackerna gör det också svårare för Ukraina att göra verklighet av planerna om att återta staden Cherson, som ligger sydväst om Nikopol, och som varit under rysk ockupation sedan början av kriget.
Motattacker kring Nikopol och Zaporizjzja måste ske med tydlig precision, så att inte reaktorerna vid kärnkraftverket förstörs.
Den 22 juli utfördes en sådan motattack, enligt Ukrainas militär.
Då användes en särskild drönare för att spränga bland annat en luftvärnsinstallation och flera soldater strax över 130 meter från en av kärnkraftsreaktorerna.
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