“We do not have heavy weapons in the area of the nuclear plant or in the surrounding areas. I hope the IAEA mission will be convinced of this,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.
THE Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated today that the bombing from Ukraine of Zaporizhia nuclear power plant increases the risk of a nuclear disaster in Europe.
Shoigu accused Ukraine of “nuclear terrorism” and rejected claims by Kiev and the West that Russia has deployed heavy weapons at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, located in southern Ukraine and under Russian control since March.
“We don’t have heavy weapons in the area of the nuclear plant or in the surrounding areas. I hope the International Atomic Energy Agency mission will be convinced of that,” Shoigu said according to a Defense Ministry statement.
An IAEA mission arrived yesterday, Thursday, at the station in order to inspect its operation and assess possible damages.
Kyiv and Moscow they accuse each other of attacks against the station area. Reuters cannot confirm information from the battlefield.
Shoigu reiterated Moscow’s position, which insists that Kyiv will bear responsibility for any escalation in the region, amid fears of a Chernobyl-like nuclear accident.
Shoigu said Kyiv was “creating a real threat of nuclear destruction” and was using Western-supplied weapons to attack the site of the station.
He said Ukraine had launched 120 artillery shells and 16 “kamikaze” drone attacks in the past six weeks.
“This is nothing but nuclear terrorism,” added Shoigu, who also accused the United States and the European Union of “encouraging such reckless actions.”
Kyiv blames Moscow for the bombings and accuses it of using the facility to protect its forces, a charge Russia denies.
Russian officials said earlier this week that radiation levels at the facility remained within normal levels.
Two IAEA officials are expected to remain at the station on a permanent basis after completing their mission this week, Russia’s ambassador to international institutions in Vienna said today.
RES-EMP
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