Putin digs trenches around Kursk nuclear plant as Russia fears Ukraine invasion could seize reactors

Russia is working to dig trenches around the Kursk nuclear power plant because it fears Ukraine will seize its reactors.

Satellite photos show new lines in the ground near the power plant as Vladimir Putin’s armed forces fail to stop the courageous advance.

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Ukrainian troops have now spent six days on Russian territory replacing flags, capturing prisoners of war and conquering territories.

According to reports, the Ukrainian military has managed to infiltrate up to 20 km deep into Russian territory, leaving Putin “frightened and furious” in the face of continued attacks.

Russia is working to build fortifications around its nuclear facility, located 100 km from the border with Ukraine.

Satellite images show the trenches south of Kurchatov, a town near where the power plant is located.

Videos posted on social media show miners digging trenches.

Military reinforcements would also be sent to the area to avoid what would be a major humiliation for Putin if the nuclear plant were captured.

The plant is a key energy supplier in the region and fighting around the plant would significantly increase the risk of a nuclear accident.

However, if Ukraine manages to retain this site, it would prove a valuable asset in the negotiations.

Moscow has held the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine since the start of the war.

Russia said that “fragments and remains – presumably pieces of intercepted rockets – were discovered at the plant, including in the radioactive waste processing area.”

In a statement, the Russian nuclear authorities said: “Ukraine’s irresponsible actions threaten not only the Russian nuclear facility, but also the entire global nuclear industry.

“There is currently a real danger of strikes and provocations by the Ukrainian military,” Rosatom said in a separate statement.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi also issued a stern warning to both sides.

They must exercise restraint as fighting intensifies in Russia, he made clear.

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Desperate Russian mothers are also begging Putin to honour his promise and not send their conscripted sons to their deaths.

The fighting in Russia exposed conscripts as young as 18 to war, something the tyrant had sworn not to do.

A mother has started a petition to try to persuade Putin to follow his own rules.

Videos of Russian POWs released by Ukraine show soldiers claiming they have not completed their training.

According to Russian rules, conscripts – even those in their twenties – should not be sent to war during their one-year conscription period, when they are not properly trained.

Russia claims to have slowed the advance of Ukrainian troops, but footage of the advance shows them pushing deeper into the country.

Tens of thousands of Russian civilians were evacuated from Kursk in buses, trains and cars before the arrival of the Ukrainian army.

Moscow launched a major “anti-terrorist operation” in three regions on Saturday, while the Defense Ministry announced a major deployment of its military capabilities on the front lines.

But the Ukrainian troops continued their advance, removing the Russian flags and replacing them with Ukrainian ones.

Thousands of Ukrainian troops have stormed Russia’s borders since the start of the mini-invasion on Tuesday, Russia’s first invasion since World War II.

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s men went on the offensive with a barrage of calculated strikes as they pushed back Vlad’s army after it entered Ukraine in February 2022.

They are said to have killed hundreds of Russian soldiers, bombed a key airfield and wreaked havoc in Putin’s backyard.

Officials, including the president, have vowed to continue the offensive for as long as possible.

Addressing his nation on Saturday, Zelensky said he would “restore justice” after the Russian invasion two years ago.

He said in a night speech: “Today I received several reports from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi regarding the front lines and our actions to push the war into the territory of the aggressor.

“Ukraine proves that it can effectively restore justice and provide the necessary pressure on the aggressor.”

Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi posted a defiant message on Telegram earlier today, saying: “We continue the operation!”

This comes as Ukraine continues its bombing of Kursk.

Their latest strike saw the city of Kursk bombarded by a wave of kamikaze drones and Tochka-U tactical missiles overnight.

A residential building was seen ablaze after one of the explosions, with footage showing a car on fire and plumes of smoke rising into the sky.

Firefighters attended to dozens of injured people after Russia shot down one of the four missiles.

Other reports of regional power outages and even a giant fireball explosion on a gas platform in the Black Sea have also plagued Putin’s military.

Putin has faced fresh humiliation after footage emerged in recent days showing his men travelling to Ukraine.

Satellite images also showed a destroyed air base in Lipetsk after a Ukrainian drone strike caused a chain reaction with the 700 glide bombs it housed.

Apocalyptic footage captured during the explosion shows a gigantic fireball erupting from the base – as residents desperately flee four nearby villages.

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