Zaporizhia Oblast
ZNPP (Europe's largest nuclear plant, 20% pre-war electricity) in occupied territory since 2022. Front line divides oblast. Cossack heritage + automotive industry under threat. By 2026, territorial control and nuclear handover determine recovery scope.
Europe's largest nuclear power plant sits in occupied territory—Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station (ZNPP) generated 20% of Ukraine's pre-war electricity but has operated at minimal capacity under Russian control since March 2022. The six-reactor facility represents both ongoing nuclear safety risk and post-war reconstruction prize. International atomic energy officials maintain presence but cannot enforce operational standards.
The city of Zaporizhzhia remains under Ukrainian control, creating a front-line urban economy. The Cossack heritage site (Khortytsia Island) and automotive industry (ZAZ, Ukraine's car manufacturer) now operate under constant threat. Zaporizhstal steelworks, historically among Europe's largest, continues production despite damage.
The front line runs through the oblast, dividing communities and industrial facilities. Southern portions including Melitopol remain occupied. This division creates planning uncertainty—reconstruction scope depends on territorial control at war's end.
2026 trajectory: ZNPP status determines energy security for all Ukraine. Any territorial recovery requires nuclear facility handover protocols. Industrial reconstruction awaits clear front lines. The oblast's future hinges on geopolitical outcomes more than economic planning.