Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday accused each other of plotting to bomb the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, further raising tensions over one of the main flashpoints of the war, even as analysts say know the risk of serious immediate damage to the facility is low.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, citing the country’s intelligence service, said that Russian troops who seized the plant in March last year placed explosive-looking objects on the roofs of several power units. its capacity, possibly for the purpose of simulating an attack. and blame Ukraine. He did not elaborate and the claim could not be independently verified, but Ukrainian officials have increasingly warned of nuclear sabotage.
“The only source of danger for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is Russia and no one else,” Zelensky said in an overnight speech, adding that he had spoken by phone with the French president. Emmanuel Macron about his concerns. Hanna Malyar, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, on Wednesday accused Russia of “escalating the situation” at the plant.
Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, said that Ukraine planned to sabotage the plant and that Russia had taken measures to counter this threat. He described the situation as “quite stressful.” He cited no evidence for the claim and did not provide details.
The largest factory in Europe and the first to be occupied by foreign troops, has become the focus of global concern. The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly warned of the possibility of disaster, including last month’s alarm bells about the security situation.” extremely fragile,” amid shelling around the plant and other security concerns.
Ukrainian government conducted extensive exercises last week to test their emergency response, though some residents in the city of Nikopoljust a few miles from the factory, said it had no plans to leave, in part because they had nowhere else to go.
Biden administration officials said last week that they do not believe a threat is imminent but that they are monitor “very, very closely”.”
Warnings from Ukraine and Russia have increased in recent weeks after the Kakhovka dam downstream of the plant was destroyed last month.
Moscow blames Ukraine for dam explosion, but a New York Times analysis shows evidence to back it up Russia blew up the dam itself. The destruction of the dam killed dozens of people, drained part of the reservoir next to the power plant, and flooded the Dnipro river basin.
“Unfortunately, there was no timely and large-scale response to the terrorist attack on the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station and this could provoke the Kremlin to commit new evil,” Zelensky said. .
Russia, which illegally annexed the Zaporizhzhia region, has attempted to impose management control over the plant, now considered state property, using its state nuclear company.
The International Atomic Energy Agency sent inspectors to the plant. In a statement this week, it did not report an increased threat level.
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, has noted the growing rhetoric at the plant, which it says may have been part of preparations for an attack. fake Russian flags in some form, but added that “Russian provocative statements” were likely part of “information operations aimed at accusing Ukraine of irresponsibility” at the factory and hit distract Ukrainian forces from the ongoing counterattack.
“Russia remains incapable of causing a radiation incident at the ZNPP at this time,” it said in a report, adding that “the plant’s reactors have been built to withstand significantly damage.”
Anatoly Kurmanaev contribution report.
