Russia, Ukraine feud over ‘harmful’ assault on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant | Russia-Ukraine battle Information

Kyiv accuses Moscow of spreading ‘faux’ info of an assault on Europe’s largest nuclear plant to stir extra pressure.

Moscow has accused Ukraine of launching “very harmful” drone assaults on the Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Energy Plant – allegations that Kyiv described as “faux” info.

In a press release on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the incident as “a really harmful provocation”.

“It is a very harmful observe that has very, very dangerous destructive penalties in the long run. Sadly, the Kyiv regime continues its terrorist exercise.”

Russia stated Ukraine struck the plant thrice on Sunday and demanded the West reply, although Kyiv stated it had nothing to do with the assaults.

Kyiv stated Moscow is attempting to unfold “faux” info inside the Ukrainian territory to stir extra pressure.

The top of Ukraine’s Heart for Countering Disinformation, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, stated Russia was intensifying a “marketing campaign of provocation and fakes”.

Russia is attacking the station “with drones, pretending that the risk to the plant and nuclear security is coming from Ukraine”, Kovalenko stated.

For the reason that begin of Russia’s 2022 invasion, the ability has been occupied by Russian forces. Management over the nuclear facility has been a supply of heated change and accusations between Moscow and Kyiv.

Russian authorities had repeatedly accused Kyiv of plotting an act of “sabotage” at Zaporizhzhia.

‘Simulated strikes’

The Zaporizhzhia plant in southern Ukraine is Europe’s largest such facility.

The nuclear plant has six Soviet-designed VVER-1000 V-320 water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing uranium-235. There may be additionally spent nuclear gas on the facility.

Reactors one, two, 5 and 6 are in chilly shutdown whereas reactor quantity three is shut down for restore and quantity 4 is in a so-called “scorching shutdown”, in keeping with the plant’s administration.

Russia’s nuclear company Rosatom stated there was a “collection of assaults” on Sunday, with one drone hanging the location’s canteen, wounding three employees members, certainly one of them “severely”.

Drones additionally reportedly hit a cargo port and the roof of one of many web site’s six reactors, it stated.

The Worldwide Atomic Power Company (IAEA), which has consultants on the plant, stated the assaults precipitated a “bodily affect” on one reactor and resulted in a single casualty, however nuclear security was not compromised.

Rosatom referred to as on Western nations and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi to “categorically condemn the try to escalate the scenario across the greatest nuclear energy plant in Europe”.

Kovalenko accused Russia of “manipulating the considerations of the IAEA” and “attempting to accuse Ukraine of nuclear terrorism”.

A spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence’s fundamental directorate of intelligence, Andriy Yusov, had earlier accused Russia of endangering the facility station and finishing up “simulated strikes”, which it then blamed on Kyiv.