Intelligence warns of ZNPP mining threat as long as terrorists control plant
Photo: representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense Andrii Yusov (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Russian occupiers have turned the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant into a military facility. The threat to the NPP will persist as long as it is under the control of invaders, states the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Andrii Yusov, during a televised marathon.
Yusov commented on the statement by IAEA experts regarding new mine installations on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) discovered during recent inspections.
"There is nothing new in these actions. Last year, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense publicly disclosed maps of mine-explosive barriers that the Russians created around the perimeter of the ZNPP and inside the station itself. At that time, IAEA experts either did not confirm these facts, did not comment on the situation, or did not pay attention to those areas where such things were present," he said.
Yusov added that Russian occupiers had long turned Zaporizhzhia NPP into a military facility, citing shelling, deployment of equipment, and personnel on the station. According to him, before IAEA commissions, the Russians could move forces and means, including mines and military equipment.
The intelligence representative also recalled a recent direct threat of a terrorist attack on the ZNPP, noting that due to a series of measures, the acute phase was successfully suspended.
"The threat to personnel, in general, for the object will persist as long as it is captured by terrorists. Only the return of the station under Ukrainian control will allow restoring compliance with international nuclear law standards and the object's safety," Yusov stated.
The intelligence officer added that all energy facilities in Ukraine, including nuclear power plants, are at risk during the war.
Situation at the occupied ZNPP
The largest nuclear power plant in Europe was seized by the Russians in the first days of the full-scale invasion. Moreover, the occupiers deployed military equipment on the territory of the ZNPP. Throughout the occupation, the station was disconnected from Ukraine's power grid several times.
Currently, IAEA experts are present at the station, conducting occasional rotations. Recently, the Russians did not allow the IAEA to access the reactor halls at the ZNPP.
Earlier, in "Energoatom," it was noted that since the beginning of the occupation, there have been at least 8 complete blackouts at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Such incidents can pose a threat to nuclear and radiation safety not only for Ukraine but also for other states.
