According to Moscow, Ukrainian artillery units plan to open fire on the station and then accuse Russia of causing a nuclear accident.
The Ministry of Defense of Russia today accused Kyiv of planning “provocations” at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plantin Ukraine, tomorrow, Friday, during the visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the country, reported the Russian state news agency RIA, according to Reuters.
According to Moscow, Ukrainian artillery units plan to open fire on the station and then accuse Russia of causing nuclear accident. Reuters points out that the Russian ministry does not provide evidence to support this claim.
In its statement, the Russian Defense Ministry also maintains that the Russian military has not deployed “heavy weapons” in or around the nuclear plant, which is located in southern Ukraine and is under Moscow’s control.
“We emphasize that the Russian army it has no heavy weapons within the site of the (nuclear) plant and in the surrounding areas. Only units that guarantee security are there,” the Russian Defense Ministry added in its statement, cited by AFP.
“The Russian armed forces are taking all necessary measures to guarantee the safety of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant,” he continues.
According to AFP, the Russian Defense Ministry accuses Kyiv of wanting to prepare a “loud provocation” there on the occasion of the UN Secretary General’s visit to Ukraine.
Fighting around the nuclear plant held by Russian forces has raised fears of disaster, and Guterres has said he wants a demilitarized zone around the plant.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said he had spoken with the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who is ready to lead a delegation to the station.
“I have emphasized the urgency of this mission to address threats to nuclear security posed by Russia’s hostilities,” he said in a message on Twitter.
Russia and Ukraine exchange accusations for bombings near the Zaporizhia nuclear complex, raising fears of a nuclear disaster at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which Russian forces have seized. Ukraine says Russia has deployed artillery in and around the station.
RES-EMP
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