As early as March 2022, Russian forces took control of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant just across the Dnipro river from the city of the same name.

It is one of the ten largest of its type in the world and during the war it was the subject of one of the largest nuclear crises in Europe since the Chernobyl disaster.

Experts and heads of state held their breath as the surroundings of Enerhodar came under constant shelling for a long time.

Now, recent satellite images show Russia placing soldiers on top of the reactors, in what is described as the first concrete example of the power plant being used in tactical battle planning.

Hot shutdown

The plant was completely shut down in September. In recent months, two of the reactors have been in so-called hot shutdown, which, according to the Department of Radiation Protection (DSA) and Nuclear Safety, has enabled the rest of the plant to be supplied with steam and Enerhodar with heat, the nearest city.

DSA and a number of international experts have pointed out that Russian forces have over time built up an arsenal of weapons at the power plant with the intention of using it as a “shield” when firing rockets.

The UK Ministry of Defense regularly publishes intelligence reports from Russia and Ukraine.

Shared satellite image

On Thursday morning, they announced in a report that Russian forces had taken up positions atop several of the plant’s reactors. They shared a satellite image from the private intelligence firm Maxar, which reportedly shows Russian defense positions with sandbags above the plant’s six reactor buildings.

According to the report, this is the first real indication that the reactor buildings were used in concrete tactical planning.

– Russia probably set up these positions in anticipation of Ukraine’s announced big offensive, the report says.

According to British intelligence, the decision will significantly increase the risk of the plant’s security systems being damaged in battles near the plant.

Warned

At the same time, they consider the risks of catastrophic destruction to be low.

– This is unlikely in the most plausible scenarios, as the buildings are very heavily constructed, the report says.

According to the ISW think tank, a Russian military blogger argued that defense positions need to be reinforced precisely at the central, in the face of a possible Ukrainian advance across the river, which effectively splits the front in two.

Ukraine’s counter-offensive is long overdue and a number of Western arms deliveries are now in place.

17 people lost their lives on Friday in a series of missile attacks on Ukrainian-held territory. According to Reuters, this is the largest Russian attack in two months.

Spring Offensive

Just hours later, kyiv issued a statement that preparations for the announced spring offensive would soon be completed.

– As soon as God wills, time permits and the generals decide, we will take action, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Friday during a press briefing.

He pointed to the Western arms shipments now arriving in the war-torn country by leaps and bounds.

– Modern weapons will be like an iron fist, Reznikov said according to Reuters.

The objective of the long-announced counter-offensive is to drive Russia out of the areas it occupies.

– Will mislead to the maximum

Capacity controversy

However, there is uncertainty as to the real effectiveness of the announced counter-offensive.

In US intelligence documents leaked in early April, serious doubts were cast about Ukraine’s offensive capabilities on the battlefield.

In the acts, like the washington post gained access, he says Ukraine will only make “modest territorial advances” in an offensive.

US intelligence reports significant failures in the Ukrainians’ ability to gather people and materiel, and believe these problems may make it difficult for the Ukrainians to achieve their objectives. The reports date from February, and the leak is currently being investigated by US authorities.