Russia's possible closure of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
(Baonghean.vn) - On August 18, the Russian Defense Ministry said it was possible to shut down the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine if Ukrainian forces continued to shell the facility - an action that Kiev has always denied.
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Illustration photo. Photo: AP |
Speaking at a press conference, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Unit of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, stressed that the plant's backup support systems were damaged as a result of the shelling.
According to Mr. Kirillov, in case of an accident at the plant, radioactive substances would spread to Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Scandinavia. Mr. Kirillov also said that Ukraine's purpose in conducting aggressive activities at the Zaporizhzhia plant was to establish a no-go zone of up to 30 km, attract international forces and foreign observers, as well as condemn Russia for carrying out nuclear terrorism.
On the same day, Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky affirmed that the country needs to "prepare for all scenarios" related to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as long as the facility remains under Russian control. According to Mr. Monastyrsky, "no one could have predicted that Russian forces would use tanks to attack nuclear reactors. This is really shocking."
Meanwhile, Mr. Petro Kotin - Chairman of Energoatom, the company operating Ukraine's nuclear power plant - said there were about 500 Russian soldiers and 50 armored vehicles present at the plant./.
