Copyright kyivpost
Russia is circulating another unfounded allegation that Ukraine, together with NATO member states, is supposedly preparing a deliberate nuclear incident at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), according to statements distributed by state news agency RIA Novosti on Nov. 6. The plant, located in the Zaporizhzhia region’s Enerhodar, has been under Russian occupation since the start of the 2022 invasion. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) asserted without evidence that “the West is considering a scenario of sabotage at ZNPP, involving the melting of a reactor core,” suggesting that NATO countries are allegedly encouraging Kyiv to carry out an operation that would result in casualties among Ukrainians and residents of nearby EU states. The SVR further claimed that Western governments intend to blame Russia for any such incident – a narrative that echoes previous attempts by Moscow to deflect responsibility for its military presence at the nuclear site. This is not the first time the Kremlin has disseminated provocation narratives about ZNPP. Over the past two years, Russian officials and state media have repeatedly accused Ukraine of plotting attacks on the facility while simultaneously using the plant as a military base – a practice condemned by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In recent months, the situation around the plant has remained unstable. Europe’s largest nuclear facility spent several weeks in September and October disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid, relying on diesel generators – a highly dangerous emergency mode. On Oct. 6, IAEA personnel reported a series of gunshots approximately 1.25 kilometers from the station’s perimeter, underscoring what the agency described as a “volatile” security environment.
