Ukraine fortifies Chornobyl zone against possible new Russian incursion — Spiegel

Ukrainian forces are reinforcing defenses within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, as they anticipate a potential new Russian invasion from the north, according to German magazine Der Spiegel's report on August 10. Following Russia's full-scale invasion, Russian forces initially took control of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant north of Kyiv.

However, Ukraine has since reclaimed the area, yet their Defense Forces are still preparing for various potential scenarios throughout the exclusion zone. Road checkpoints are placed every few kilometers, and construction equipment has dug trenches and pits into the sandy terrain. These excavated sands are utilized to construct defensive embankments at road intersections.

Defensive positions are also built beneath these sand mounds. Along the roads, tall metal poles are installed, and plastic netting is stretched between them to ensnare enemy drones. Belarus, located approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) away, has not directly entered the war, but if it does, the Chornobyl region would come under the range of FPV drones.

Ukrainian officials have frequently cautioned in recent months about the increasing risks from Belarus, the magazine reported. State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andrii Demchenko emphasized on June 6 that Ukraine must be ready for any scenario and must outmatch any potential threat from Belarus. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has resisted Moscow's attempts to involve Belarus more deeply in Russia's war against Ukraine, as reported by the Institute for the Study of War on June 24.

On June 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Belarus was completing the construction of road infrastructure and facilities for storing ammunition, fuel, and lubricants along its border with Ukraine. Additionally, Belarus began forming a new air assault brigade near Homel, roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Ukrainian border, according to a report on August 2.