Russia is preparing a massive provocation and imitation of the accident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in the nearest hours, according to Ukraine’s Intelligence.
Russian forces are planning to attack the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and blame Ukraine. After that, the Russians will announce the leakage of the radioactive substances, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine spox, Andrii Yusov, told RBK-Ukraine.
Yusov claimed that the Russian occupiers had already deployed appropriate means of destruction on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant territory.
Ukraine’s Intel spox clarified that the Russian forces planned to use the Rosatom (a Russian state atomic energy corporation) experts immediately after that to allegedly “fix” the strikes. At the same time, representatives of international structures and organizations, including the IAEA, will also be invited, according to Yusov.
“The purpose of this provocation is to accuse Ukraine of allegedly shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. However, the main goal of the Russians is to obstruct the actions of the Ukrainian Security and Defense Forces to liberate occupied territories in the East and South of Ukraine,” Yusov explained.
According to Andrii Yusov, the Russian forces may soon organize such provocations using elements of nuclear materials and chemical weapons along the entire front line in the East and South of Ukraine.
“Russians will strike directly on the territory of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” Yusov noted.
To conceal their actions, the Russians disrupted the planned rotation of the IAEA permanent monitoring mission personnel at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Yusov claimed.
“The aim is to provoke the international community to conduct a detailed investigation, during which all hostilities will be stopped,” Yusov said. “This will give the enemy a pause to regroup and stop the Ukrainian upcoming counteroffensive.”
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Russian forces captured it on 4 March 2022. It was later learned that during a Russian assault on the plant, a large caliber bullet pierced an outer wall of Reactor No. 4, and an artillery shell hit a transformer at Reactor No. 6. As of 12 March 2022, the plant is reportedly controlled by the Russian state corporation Rosatom. On 11 September 2022, when the sixth and last nuclear reactor of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was disconnected, the plant entered a cold shutdown.
Related:
- External power returns to occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant following blackout from Russian shelling (updated)
- US gives Ukraine equipment to deal with nuclear attacks, NYT says
- If Putin’s nuclear blackmail works against Ukraine, Poland or Estonia will be next
