Russia digs over 1,000 meters of trenches around Zaporizhzhia NPP cooling pond - Greenpeace

This is detailed in a recent report by British military analysts McKenzie Intelligence Services, commissioned by Greenpeace.

The report focused on the cooling pond area of the ZNPP. It reveals that since the Russian occupation of the plant in 2022 and up to the end of June 2024, over 1,000 meters of trenches have been dug around the cooling pond, mainly on its north and west sides.

“In the fall of 2023, McKenzie Intelligence Services pinpointed the locations of Russian missile systems near the ZNPP aimed at Nikopol and Dnipro. Recent satellite analysis shows that the militarization of the nuclear power plant is continuing. This includes not just trenches, such as those on the dam of the cooling pond, but also fortifications that could be used to position heavy weaponry. Although we haven't seen these heavy weapons yet, the construction of defensive structures indicates a clear intent. The ongoing military activity raises serious concerns about the security of the ZNPP,” said Jan Vande Putte, nuclear and radiation expert at Greenpeace Belgium.

Greenpeace suggests that the construction of defensive structures around the cooling pond may be linked to Russia's plans to restart nuclear reactors at ZNPP. According to an official document submitted by the Russian government to the International Atomic Energy Agency on May 14, 2024, Rosatom plans to build a large pumping station to supply water to the nuclear power plant. This development follows Russia's explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant on June 6, 2023, which resulted in the ZNPP losing its access to water from the Kakhovka reservoir.

In an analysis published in February 2024, Greenpeace warned that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant would require a new pumping system to draw water from the Dnipro River. The latest analysis from McKenzie Intelligence Services indicates that Russian forces have focused their efforts on key areas of the cooling pond: the sluice gates, the jetty, and the north bank. It appears that the north bank has been chosen for the construction of a new pumping station.

“This suggests that the construction of trenches and fortifications could signal plans for a new pumping station and efforts by Russia to restart the reactors at the facility. Russia's actions at ZNPP continue to escalate, with further militarization of critical areas needed for cooling water supply. We must take all possible measures to prevent Russia's plans and hold Rosatom and Russia accountable with effective sanctions,” said Sean Burney, Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe nuclear specialist. 

• Oleh Korikov, the head of Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, stated that Russia failed to carry out repairs and maintenance at ZNPP.