Concerns have grown after Britain’s Ministry of Defense repeated accusations by the Ukrainian military that Russian forces are using the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine to fire at military positions across the Dnieper River, but Western officials have downplayed the risk. Russian forces are likely operating in the areas adjacent to the power station and have used artillery units based in these areas to target Ukrainian territory on the west bank of the Dnipro River,” the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) said in its latest update about the situation in Ukraine. “Russian forces likely used the wider area of the facility, particularly the neighboring town of Enerhodar, to rest their forces, using the protection status of the nuclear plant to reduce the risk to their equipment and personnel from Ukrainian attacks at night.” . The MOD’s assessment echoes accusations by the mayor of the Russian-held town of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, who said in late July that Russia was using the plant as a fortress. “They (Russian forces) know very well that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will not respond to these attacks, as they can damage the nuclear power plant,” Orlov told Ukrainian Espreso TV. Mixed picture: On Thursday, Western officials downplayed the possibility of heavy fighting in and around the nuclear plant. “Russia can use the location as a safe zone, from which to conduct defense operations. Ukraine will consider very carefully how to avoid taking significant risks around the site,” the officials said. “The area of the nuclear power plant site itself is too small to be very significant in terms of progress. It could always be surrounded or bypassed by Ukraine,” the officials added. “It’s a thought and something that people need to be careful in their planning, but in no way is it going to prevent progress.” The Foreign Ministry’s concerns come after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Rafael Grossi told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the situation at the plant was “completely out of control.” Grossi said he was trying to organize a mission, with the support of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to visit the plant, but explained that in reality the transition was “a very complicated thing” because it “requires understanding and cooperation”. of the Ukrainians and the Russians who occupy it. Some background: Russia seized the plant, which is the largest nuclear plant in Europe, in the early days of the war on March 5. arrived on site to help manage the plant and assist with repairs, Ukraine’s nuclear agency Energoatom said. The situation at the plant has remained complex ever since, with staff from Ukraine and Russia working side by side. Communications between the plant and the IAEA were intermittent. Military operations in the region, with a reported Ukrainian counteroffensive to seize Kherson have made the situation even more volatile, the IAEA said. While Western officials understand some of the IAEA’s concerns, “they don’t think [the situation] it’s as terrible as it’s necessarily painted in the media right now.” Officials went on to explain that factories like the one in Zaporizhzhia are built with multiple safeguards. “So please don’t think we’re looking at the situation like Chernobyl, that’s not the case,” officials said. “We believe that overall, the conditions of this site are still fine.” CNN has reached out to Rosatom for comment, but has yet to hear back.
