Ukraine says Russia plans to simulate accident at nuclear energy plant

(Reuters) – Ukraine’s defence ministry on Friday stated Russia was planning to simulate a significant accident at a nuclear energy station managed by pro-Moscow forces to attempt to thwart a long-planned Ukrainian counteroffensive to retake territory occupied by Russia.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, which lies in an space of Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, is Europe’s greatest nuclear energy station and the world has been repeatedly hit by shelling that either side blame one another for.

The defence ministry’s intelligence directorate stated Russian forces would quickly shell the plant after which announce a radiation leak. This might pressure an investigation by worldwide authorities, throughout which all hostilities could be stopped.

The directorate assertion, posted on Telegram, didn’t present any proof. It stated Russia had disrupted the deliberate rotation of inspectors from the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company, who’re based mostly on the plant.

The Vienna-based IAEA, which continuously posts updates on the plant, has made no point out of any disruption.

Final week witnesses stated Russian navy forces had been enhancing defensive positions in and across the plant forward of the counter-offensive.

In October 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the West to warn Russia to not blow up a dam that might flood a big space. The dam was not destroyed.

In February, Russia stated Ukraine was planning to stage a nuclear incident on its territory to pin the blame on Moscow.

Russia has repeatedly accused Kyiv of planning “false flag” operations with non-conventional weapons, utilizing organic or radioactive supplies. No such assault has materialised.