Ukraine, Russia accuse each other of planning attack on Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
Zaporizhia, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Russia was planning a potentially dangerous attack. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has been occupied by Russian forces for over a year. Meanwhile, Russia has accused Ukraine of planning to attack the same vast Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Enerkhodar in southern Ukraine within the next two days.
Amid the barrage of condemnation, it was a nerve-wracking night for people across Ukraine, but especially in towns and cities near the Zaporizhia factory, including Zaporizhia, just a few miles away, which Russia could not capture.
Elaborating his allegations on Tuesday night, President Zelensky said the Russian military had “placed objects resembling explosives on the roofs of several power plants”.
Russia, meanwhile, has accused Ukraine of planning attacks on the plant with missiles and drones laden with radioactive waste from other nuclear facilities.
Neither side has provided any evidence to support its claims.
The Zaporizhia factory has been under Russian control since it was occupied just a month after President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the sprawling site has been the scene of rocket attacks, and has been condemned by both sides.Other — repeat disconnect important connections To the national grid of Ukraine.
Fears of catastrophe were heightened in early June when Ukraine blamed Russia. Blow up the big dam upstream of the factorythe water level of the reservoir used to supply cooling water to the Zaporizhia plant fell.
The head of the United Nations Nuclear Observatory has visited the factory many times, Including right after the dam explosionHe said the conditions at the site were “serious” but not an immediate safety threat unless cooling ponds on site or other parts of the site were exposed to new attacks.
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant inspected parts of the facility, including parts around the cooling pond, and regularly visited the site over the past few days, but found no traces of landmines or mines. it wasn’t. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Wednesday that there were no explosives.
Grossi said the IAEA team’s allegations this week led to additional access to the site to look for mines and explosives, particularly to the rooftops of reactors 3 and 4 and parts of the turbine hall that Zelensky mentioned. said he had requested the entry of Part of the factory cooling system.
“With increased military tensions and activity in the region where this major nuclear power plant is located, our experts must be able to check the facts on the ground,” Grossi said. “Their independent and objective reporting will help clarify the situation on the ground, which is crucial in these times of unconfirmed allegations and counter-arguments.”
A regional source told CBS News on Wednesday that IAEA inspectors were blocked from entering key locations at the nuclear site by the Russian military that controls the site.
Authorities conduct regular emergency drills in the area to train civilians on what to do in the event of a serious incident.
A Ukrainian government official told CBS News on Wednesday that if the incident occurred, residents would receive an alert on their mobile phones instructing them to stay indoors and close all doors and windows or prepare to evacuate. .
Christina Ruffini of CBS News in Washington DC contributed to this report.
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Zaporizhia, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Russia was planning a potentially dangerous attack. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has been occupied by Russian forces for over a year. Meanwhile, Russia has accused Ukraine of planning to attack the same vast Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Enerkhodar in southern Ukraine within the next two days. Amid the barrage of condemnation, it was a nerve-wracking night for people across Ukraine, but especially in towns and cities near the Zaporizhia factory, including Zaporizhia, just a few miles away, which Russia could not capture.
Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant seen across the Dnipro River from Nikopol in central Ukraine on June 9, 2023.
Dmitro Smolenko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing/Getty
Elaborating his allegations on Tuesday night, President Zelensky said the Russian military had “placed objects resembling explosives on the roofs of several power plants”.
Russia, meanwhile, has accused Ukraine of planning attacks on the plant with missiles and drones laden with radioactive waste from other nuclear facilities.Neither side has provided any evidence to support its claims.
Ukrainian nuclear power plant restores power after 7th blackout during war
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The Zaporizhia factory has been under Russian control since it was occupied just a month after President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the sprawling site has been the scene of rocket attacks, and has been condemned by both sides.Other — repeat disconnect important connections To the national grid of Ukraine.
Fears of catastrophe were heightened in early June when Ukraine blamed Russia. Blow up the big dam upstream of the factorythe water level of the reservoir used to supply cooling water to the Zaporizhia plant fell.The head of the United Nations Nuclear Observatory has visited the factory many times, Including right after the dam explosionHe said the conditions at the site were “serious” but not an immediate safety threat unless cooling ponds on site or other parts of the site were exposed to new attacks.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi visits the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and surrounding areas outside Enerkhodar, southern Ukraine, June 15, 2023.
IAEA/Handout/Reuters
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant inspected parts of the facility, including parts around the cooling pond, and regularly visited the site over the past few days, but found no traces of landmines or mines. it wasn’t. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Wednesday that there were no explosives.Grossi said the IAEA team’s allegations this week led to additional access to the site to look for mines and explosives, particularly to the rooftops of reactors 3 and 4 and parts of the turbine hall that Zelensky mentioned. said he had requested the entry of Part of the factory cooling system.
“With increased military tensions and activity in the region where this major nuclear power plant is located, our experts must be able to check the facts on the ground,” Grossi said. “Their independent and objective reporting will help clarify the situation on the ground, which is crucial in these times of unconfirmed allegations and counter-arguments.”A regional source told CBS News on Wednesday that IAEA inspectors were blocked from entering key locations at the nuclear site by the Russian military that controls the site.
A worker in a protective suit and gas mask lifts a man onto a stretcher during training for an accident at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, southern Ukraine, June 29, 2023.
Dmitro Smolenko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing/Getty
Authorities conduct regular emergency drills in the area to train civilians on what to do in the event of a serious incident.A Ukrainian government official told CBS News on Wednesday that if the incident occurred, residents would receive an alert on their mobile phones instructing them to stay indoors and close all doors and windows or prepare to evacuate. .Christina Ruffini of CBS News in Washington DC contributed to this report.
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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-russia-war-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-attack-plot-claims/ Ukraine, Russia accuse each other of planning attack on Zaporizhia nuclear power plant