WORLD

Russia deploys missiles from Europe’s largest nuclear plant

According to a representative of Kyiv’s nuclear agency, Russia is using the largest nuclear power station in Europe as a base to store weapons, including “missile systems,” and to shell the regions around Ukraine.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, which lies in southeast Ukraine on the Dnipro River, has been under Russian administration since the first days of Moscow’s invasion, though it is still being operated by Ukrainian staff.

In a television interview on Friday, the head of the Ukrainian nuclear agency Energoatom described the situation as “extremely tense,” with up to 500 Russian soldiers in charge of the plant.

Pedro Kotin said, referring to the city across the water,  “The occupiers bring their machinery there, including missile systems, from which they already shell the other side of the river Dnipro and the territory of Nikopol,”

“The pressure on the occupiers to leave the territory of the plant is insufficient,” he added, before taking aim at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“(The IAEA) is playing some political games, balancing between Russia and Ukraine,” he said.

In order to perform necessary maintenance, according to the IAEA, a visit to the plant is required.

Energoatom stated that an IAEA visit to the plant would just validate “nuclear terrorists'” takeover of it, and Kyiv has opposed such a visit.

On Thursday, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi once again stressed the importance of “being able to travel to the (Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant) to conduct essential safety, security and safeguards activities”, according to a statement.

He added “reiterated his growing worry regarding the difficult working conditions workers at the ZNPP are experiencing and the impact these conditions are having on the safety and security of the facility.”

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the agency has not been able to visit the factory.

Moscow-backed separatists announced on Thursday that they are preparing to hold a vote on joining Russia this year in the Zaporizhzhia area where the facility is located, which is mostly under Russian control.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button
Close