At the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, rockets caused a stir around Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya. After recent hostilities in the area were recorded, concerns about a nuclear disaster are growing. Russia now warns of a “false flag” provocation by Ukraine.
Ukraine recently warned of the emergency given the continuing tense situation at the nuclear power plant in eastern Ukraine. There is already massive destruction in the complex due to attacks, “a nuclear incident would be comparable to Chernobyl or Fukushima,” Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations warned.
NATO General: “Serious Threat”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also warned of a nuclear accident in view of the Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and called on Moscow to agree to an inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The seizure of the Ukrainian power plant by Russian forces poses a serious threat to the security of the plant, Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Wednesday.
“Russia will be held responsible for this”
In Russia, however, any responsibility for the deteriorating situation around the power plant is denied. Most recently, Kremlin voices even indicated that they wanted to withdraw their troops from the area, but maintain control of the power plant. According to the Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom, there are up to 500 Russian soldiers and about 50 military vehicles such as tanks on the site of the nuclear power plant.
A spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry said he feared a “false flag” operation by Ukraine. Russia would then be held responsible for this “man-made catastrophe,” he warned.
Ukraine is already training for emergencies
Due to the threat situation, Ukrainian emergency services are apparently already preparing for an emergency. As reporters from the AFP news agency reported on Wednesday, emergency services are already training in protective clothing with radiation measurement equipment and gas masks to evacuate and clean contaminated vehicles.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky, who took part in the exercises, said the country must prepare for “all possible scenarios” at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. “No one could have foreseen that Russian troops would fire at nuclear reactors with tanks,” said Monastyrsky, who described Russia as a “terrorist state.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
