Experts assess whether Ukraine needs control over Kursk NPP in Russia

In a comment to NV on Aug. 12, Ludwig Lytvynsky, a Doctor of Physics and Mathematics and former employee of the Institute for Nuclear Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, stressed that seizing the plant is not in Ukraine's interests. "Anyone who seizes a nuclear power plant bears full responsibility for nuclear safety. And why do we need that suitcase without a handle?" he said.

Some Russians believe that Ukraine wants to take control of the Kursk NPP and exchange it for the Zaporizhzhya NPP. However, Volodymyr Omelchenko, Director of Energy Programs at the Razumkov Center think tank, considers such discussions to be speculative. In his opinion, the Russians will not agree to any exchange, and the seizure of the plant could be used to promote a powerful information campaign against Ukraine.

Omelchenko argues that despite certain difficulties for Russia, the theoretical seizure of control over the Kursk NPP would have a much worse effect on Ukraine. In such a scenario, the International Atomic Energy Agency would point out that Ukraine has violated safety rules, creating a dangerous precedent and an emergency situation.

"All of this will be promoted in the media, in many countries, so I don't know whether we need it or not," added the Razumkov Center representative.

“Because then we can be equated with those terrorists who seized the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and are constantly conducting experiments there that lead to an accident.”

In this unlikely scenario, Omelchenko believes that Ukraine's adversaries will have arguments against providing assistance, whether in the form of weapons or finance, and will insist that the troops stop the Kursk operation.

"Russia will get the appropriate arguments, and then it will be able to make more provocations at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant," the expert said.

“It will say: you see, Ukraine has captured our plant, now we can shell substations at nuclear power plants in Ukraine. That is, we get a lot of negativity from this.”

Ukrainian offensive in Kursk Oblast

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed for the first time on Aug. 12 that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were conducting an operation in Kursk Oblast. He emphasized that the purpose of the operation was to liberate Ukraine's border areas from Russian troops, who regularly shelled Sumy Oblast.

Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Ukraine controls approximately 1,000 square kilometers in Kursk Oblast.

Information about the Ukrainian Armed Forces' entry into Kursk Oblast was first disseminated by Russian propagandists on Aug. 6. According to DeepState, on the first day of the raid alone, Ukrainian forces took three villages and surrounded the Sudzha checkpoint.

The Ukrainian forces reportedly destroyed a large convoy of Russian military equipment near Rylsk, Kursk Oblast on Aug. 9.

The Kursk regional authorities acknowledged the loss of 28 settlements on Aug. 12. According to DeepState's estimates, approximately 44 settlements were captured, and the status of another 10 is unknown. Analysts noted that this estimate is "extremely conservative."

Among the settlements under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is Sudzha, which is the last active point of transshipment of Russian natural gas through Ukraine to Europe.

According to Forbes, the Ukrainian military is consolidating its positions in Kursk Oblast and planning long-term control of the territory.