Russian forces are likely using their positions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar to heighten Western fears of a nuclear disaster in Ukraine in an effort to reduce Western willingness to provide military support to a Ukrainian counteroffensive, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a rating released Wednesday night. .

Information from the latest ISW assessment of the war in Ukraine:

• Russian forces are likely using Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar to heighten Western leaders’ fears of a nuclear disaster in Ukraine, thereby trying to reduce Western nations’ willingness to provide military support for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

• Russian forces have reportedly set fire to a prison for Ukrainian prisoners of war in Olenivka, in occupied Donetsk region, but have blamed Ukraine for an alleged high-precision strike with military equipment supplied from the West, which is likely to increase US reluctance to continue supplying Ukraine with HIMARS.

• Moscow is likely to use its relationship with Tehran to obtain drones for use in Ukraine.

• Russian troops launched a ground offensive to the northwest of Slovyansk and continued their offensive in the direction of Bakhmut from the northeast, east, and southeast.

• Russian troops prefer frontal attacks on Avdiivka and were unable to gain a foothold in Pisky.

• It is reported that Russian troops are forming a strike group to prevent a counteroffensive of Ukrainian troops in the north of the Kherson region or for a counterattack.

• Kremlin-installed authorities in the occupied territories may allow both traditional and online voting in future pseudo-referendums on the annexation of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, allowing for more direct vote rigging.

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