Ukraine’s defence forces have denied Russian claims that a Ukrainian drone struck Unit No. 6 of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
Source: Ukraine’s Pivden (South) Group of Forces on Facebook; Alexei Likhachev, Head of Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom, as reported by Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti
Quote from the Pivden Group of Forces: “Reports circulated by occupation-controlled resources alleging that Ukraine’s defence forces struck facilities at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant are yet another attempt to discredit Ukraine and conceal Russia’s own criminal actions.
Ukraine’s defence forces did not strike Unit No. 6 of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Ukrainian service personnel operate strictly within the norms of international humanitarian law and fully understand the consequences of any actions involving nuclear facilities.”
Details: The Ukrainian military stressed that Russian allegations of a Ukrainian strike on the ZNPP were another information provocation by Russia and noted that this was not the first such claim from Moscow.
“The pattern is familiar: after another setback on the front, a high-profile accusation against Ukraine emerges, intended to divert the attention of the international community. As usual, the Russian side has provided no evidence – and this case is no exception,” the Pivden Group of Forces said.
They also noted that Russia deliberately refrained from posting clear photos or videos supposedly showing the aftermath of the strike.
Quote from the Pivden Group of Forces: “Furthermore, the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not possess fibre-optic-controlled drones with such a long operational range, nor drones equipped with a shaped-charge warhead weighing 5-6 kg, which is approximately what would be required to create the hole described by the Russian side.
In addition, the occupation forces themselves have established a multi-layered smoke screen around the ZNPP – it would have been physically impossible for a drone to pass through it unnoticed. The version promoted by Russia does not withstand factual scrutiny…
There were no active combat operations in that sector of the front at the time of the incident, and no strike assets were used.”
Details: Earlier on Saturday, Likhachev claimed that a Ukrainian drone had struck the turbine hall building of Unit No. 6 at the ZNPP.
He said the strike supposedly created a hole in the wall of the unit, although key equipment was not damaged. Likhachev also claimed that the drone had been controlled via a fibre-optic cable, ruling out an accidental strike.
Meanwhile, officials at the plant said that radiation levels are normal, there were no disruption to technological processes, and there were no casualties or critical damage.
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