Article Author:
Reuters
MOSCOW — Russia warned on Thursday of the danger of a man-made nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, saying Ukraine was planning a "provocation" during a visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday. condemned.
The factory near the front line has come under repeated attacks in recent weeks, with both Ukraine and Russia blaming each other for the shelling.
The Russian Defense Ministry has accused Ukraine of trying to cause a "minor accident" at a factory in southern Ukraine to blame Russia.
Reuters was unable to confirm Russia's claims.
Europe's largest Zaporizhia nuclear reactor complex is in what Russia calls a "special military operation"2 It was occupied by Russian forces shortly after tens of thousands of troops entered Ukraine on May 24.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters that Moscow was taking steps to secure the complex, deploying heavy weapons in and around the factory. said he denied it.
The ministry said the factory could be shut down if Ukrainian forces continued to shell it.
Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces, said in a briefing that the factory's backup support system was damaged as a result of the shelling.
Kirillov presented a slide showing that in the event of an accident at the plant, radioactive material would cover Germany, Poland and Slovakia.
Guterres, who is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Thursday, called for an end to all fighting near the factory.
Evgeny Baritsky, the Russian-installed Chief Executive for the Zaporizhia region, previously said the artillery fire could damage the cooling system of the reactor installation.
Russia says Ukrainian forces are recklessly firing at factories.
Ukraine says Russia is deliberately using the factory as a base from which to launch attacks against its own forces, and the Russian military has attempted to hold Ukraine responsible for the ensuing blackout. (Reported by Reuters; Edited by Raissa Kasolowsky and Mark Heinrich)
