The nuclear power plant in Sporischschja in southern Ukraine has been under Russian control since the beginning of the war. The facility came under fire several times. Now the warring parties are accusing each other of planned provocations.
Moscow and Kiev are accusing each other of an imminent attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. As early as Wednesday night, the Ukrainian armed forces would try to attack the nuclear power plant with rockets and drones, Renat Karchaa, adviser to the head of the Russian atomic energy agency, Rosenergoatom, claimed on state television. The Ukrainian General Staff, in turn, wrote in its daily situation report about alleged explosive devices on the roof of the nuclear power plant, the explosion of which was intended to give the impression of a shelling.
According to the situation report of the Ukrainian general staff, the explosive devices were attached to the roofs of the third and fourth reactor blocks, but are probably not intended to damage the reactors themselves. At the same time, the military leadership in Kiev emphasized that Ukraine would not violate the norms of international law.
This is exactly what Karchaa accuses the Ukrainians of. Accordingly, not only should the nuclear power plant be shot at, but a bomb containing nuclear waste should also be dropped at the same time. The senior Moscow official did not provide any evidence to support the allegation.
Zelenskyj calls for international pressure on Moscow
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also suspects Russia of an imminent provocation. “We now have information from our secret service that the Russian military has placed objects resembling explosives on the roofs of several reactor blocks of the Zaporizhia NPP,” said Zelenskyy in his daily video address. The head of state suspected that this might serve to simulate an attack on the plant in the south of the country. He called for international pressure on Moscow to prevent this.
“Unfortunately, there was no timely and widespread response to the terrorist attack on the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. And that can inspire the Kremlin to new evils,” said Zelenskyy. In June, an explosion destroyed the Kachowka Dam. Hundreds of towns were flooded. Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of destroying it. Moscow denies and accuses Kiev of the crime.
Russian troops have occupied the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine since March 2022. The nuclear facility came under fire several times during the fighting, raising international concerns about a nuclear catastrophe. The plant has now been shut down for safety reasons. An observer mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency is on site.
Both warring parties repeatedly accuse each other of planned provocations around the power plant. Recently, these allegations have steadily intensified.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
