Russia planning ‘terror attack’ on Europe’s largest nuclear plant, claim Ukraine
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is planning a “nuclear terror” attack at the Zaporizhzhia power plant – Europe’s biggest nuclear reactor, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine’s president claims that Ukrainian spies had uncovered a plot to release radioactive material from the plant.
"Intelligence has received information that Russia is considering the scenario of a terrorist act at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – a terrorist act with the release of radiation," he said in a statement via Telegram. "They have prepared everything for this."
READ MORE: Russia ‘may try to blow up largest nuclear plant in Europe', Ukraine claims
Zelenskyy added that radioactive material could be carried on the wind to almost any country: "Unfortunately, I have had to remind (people) more than once that radiation knows no state borders…who it will hit is determined only by the direction of the wind?"
Moscow has angrily denied Zelenskyy’s claims, dismissing them as "another lie” from Ukraine.
Russian and Ukrainian sources have both accused the other of shelling the massive nuclear power station.
While the plant's six reactors are currently shut down, they still require regular maintenance and cooling.
Rafael Grossi, of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recently toured the site and said that the priority was to ensure that there was adequate water for cooling the reactors.
He said that they were safe for now: ”With the water that is here the plant can be kept safe for some time. The plant is going to be working to replenish the water so that safety functions can continue normally."
Russia claims Ukraine is planning 'false flag' dirty bomb attack on Chernobyl
The water supply was placed under threat by the recent destruction of the nearby Kakhovka dam.
While it’s not clear who was responsible for the car bomb which breached the dame, Zelenskyy maintains that the dam was sabotaged by Russia.
US think tank The Institute for the Study of War issued a statement saying that “the balance of evidence, reasoning, and rhetoric suggests that the Russians deliberately damaged the dam”.
Russian troops have ‘acute radiation sickness’ after digging Chernobyl trenches
More than 11,000 people have been evacuated since the dam was destroyed on June 6. The precise death toll remains unconfirmed but is believed to be at least 52.
Ukrainian intelligence sourced released what they say is an intercepted phone call between two Russian soldiers in which one says “our sabotage groups were there.
"They wanted to create a scare with the dam. It didn’t quite go according to plan.”
For more incredible stories from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here
Source: Read Full Article