"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.
Russian troops established fighting positions on the roofs of occupied reactor buildings — UK Intelligence
"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
