US' silence on Ukraine's strikes on Zaporozhye NPP would lead to nuclear disaster: Russia

Russia on Friday deunced United States' silence on shelling at  Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant saying that it is encouraging impunity for Kyiv regime and contributing to a possible nuclear catastrophe in Europe. "  ultimate goal of provocation is to create an exclusion zone of up to 30 km, to bring foreign observers to ZNPP territory, and to accuse Russian Armed Forces of nuclear terrorism," said  Russian Defence Ministry in a letter to UNSC. According to Kremlin, since July 18, nuclear plant has been subjected to systematic shelling by Ukrainian armed forces.

"Ukrainian side, toger with ir US handlers, are trying to play card by causing what y believe to be a mir accident at nuclear power plant and thus disrupting its rmal and safe operation, blaming it on Russia," Moscow emphasized accusing United States of provocation. 

Russia insisted that it is rey to provide IAEA with real high-resolution ims, a sample placed on a slide, which shows that Russian troops did t place any weapons on territory near  Zaporizhzhia nuclear power as claimed by Ukrainian forces. Kremlin claimed that Ukrainian armed forces have been shelling Zaporozhskaya nuclear power plant using mainly Western-me shells.

" manufacturer's data [on shells] is clearly visible, it is US company EaglePicher Techlogies," claimed Moscow sharing photos on Telegram. "Kyiv regime and its Western supervisors day by day threaten nuclear safety and nuclear security of largest NPP in Europe," it ded. 

Credit: Russia's MFA.

IAEA 'extremely concerned' over shelling of NPP 

Director General of International Atomic Energy ncy (IAEA), Rafael Maria Grossi h earlier warned that he has been "extremely concerned" over shelling at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. attacks by Russian and Ukrainian troops near nuclear facility underlines very real risk of a nuclear disaster that could threaten public health and environment in Ukraine and beyond, he h stated. Grossi h derided  fighting being taken close to  power plant as he called on all parties to exercise restraint around nuclear facility.

 G7 Foreign Ministers and High Representative of European Union in a statement demanded that  Russian forces must "immediately hand back full control" of Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant to Ukraine. "We demand that Russia immediately hand back full control to its rightful sovereign owner, Ukraine, of Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant as well as of all nuclear facilities within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders to ensure ir safe and secure operations," G7 Foreign Ministers and High Representative of EU said in statement.