Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, expressed concerns about Russia’s intentions to carry out “dangerous provocations” at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Moscow’s control.
The plant, Europe’s largest, has been a subject of ongoing safety concerns since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing for over a year now. Zelensky stressed the need to maintain maximum control over the situation and involve the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in addressing the potential risks.
“I warned Emmanuel Macron that the occupation troops are preparing for dangerous provocations at the Zaporizhzhia plant,” Zelensky told Macron and added, “We agreed to keep the situation under maximum control together with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).”
Over the weekend, Zelensky told media personnel in Kyiv, “There is a serious threat. Russia is technically ready to provoke a local explosion at the plant, which could lead to the release of dangerous substances into the air.”
“We are discussing all this with our partners so that everyone understands why Russia is doing this and put pressure on the Russian Federation politically so that they don’t even think about such a thing,” he added.
Ukraine’s military intelligence claims
The previous week, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service organised drills focused on radioactive safety in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to information from Ukrainian Military Intelligence, a group of Russian military personnel and nuclear power plant workers supported by Russia were observed gradually departing from the facility.
“Among the first to leave the station were three Rosatom employees, who managed the actions of the Russians,” Ukrainian military intelligence said in a statement. As per Politico’s report, the Russian workers were asked to depart the facility by 5 July.
“The personnel remaining at the station were instructed to blame Ukraine in case of any emergencies,” the statement claimed.
According to the military’s claim, objects resembling explosive devices had been placed on the outer roof of two reactors, with the intention of creating an impression of Ukrainian shelling while avoiding damage to the power units.
Response from Russia’s Rosatom
In response, Renat Karchaa, an adviser to Russia’s Rosatom nuclear agency, accused Ukraine of planning an attack on the nuclear plant. Karchaa alleged that the Ukrainian army would attempt to target the Zaporizhzhia facility using high-precision, long-range weapons and drones.
“Today, we got information that I am authorised to announce… On July 5, literally at night, in the dark, the Ukrainian army will try to attack the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” Karchaa told Russian state television.
Since the beginning of the war in February 2022, both Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of jeopardising the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The situation remains tense as the international community closely monitors developments at the facility.
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