Ukrainian troops realise they will have to avoid Zaporizhzhia NPP during counteroffensive – Head of Energoatom

The Ukrainian troops realise that they will have to circumvent the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) during the counteroffensive in order to avoid damaging it. Source: Petro Kotin, Head of the Ukrainian National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom, in a comment for CNN Quote: "There is a responsibility that they [the Ukrainian forces - ed] have to preserve the integrity [of the ZNPP] even if it is occupied by the Russians.

This is completely understood by everybody, by our military." Details: He also believes that Ukraine can bring the ZNPP back under its control without use of force, simply by cutting the supply lines to the facility from Crimea.

Kotin is convinced that when the Ukrainian troops liberate the city of Melitopol and block the way to Crimea for the occupiers, they will have no other choice but to surrender. Kotin also reported that the Russian forces were deporting people from the neighbouring town of Enerhodar during the last 10 days and may deport a part of the ZNPP personnel as well.

Herewith he explained that ZNPP needs "at least five" rotating personnel shifts to properly function.

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Kotin described the situation as "critical" but added that the danger of a big catastrophe remains "quite low" since there are the Russian nuclear specialists together with the Russian troops at the ZNPP, and they are "not crazy enough" and "understand the risks".

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