Shafaqna Pakistan: Russia’s state nuclear energy chief has accused Ukraine of targeting diesel fuel trucks, saying the attack killed two Russian servicemen and put the safety of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant at risk.
Alexei Likhachev said the incident occurred on Friday and left several other Russian soldiers injured. He alleged that the attack was carried out deliberately despite the potential danger to the nuclear facility.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest nuclear power facility in Europe with six reactors, has remained under Russian control since the early months of the war that began in February 2022. Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly blamed each other for actions they say could compromise the plant’s safety and heighten the risk of a nuclear accident.
Likhachev issued a statement saying Ukrainian forces had launched “a series of combined strikes” on Friday on fuel trucks which deliver diesel to the station.
“The strikes hit very close to the perimeter of the station’s site,” he said.
“Two servicemen were killed, and a large number of Russian soldiers were injured, some seriously. They were all involved in supporting this purely civilian mission.”
Fuel is critically important for the plant as diesel generators provide power to keep nuclear fuel in the reactors cool when the plant’s two external power links are down. Both were down for nearly three weeks in August and September.
Ukraine has demanded that Russia abandon the station and hand its operation back to Kyiv, a demand rejected by Moscow. The fuel currently generates no electricity.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has stationed an observer team permanently at the station, along with Ukraine’s three other working plants.
The agency has repeatedly acted as an intermediary when disputes arise and last month helped arrange a local ceasefire in order to carry out repairs and restore external power links.
Source: Dunya News
