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ZNPP’s security not guaranteed as long as Ukraine uses MLRS with impunity — official

Renat Karchaa noted that physical protection of the ZNPP perimeter and the reinforcement of Russia’s military presence "is the only hope to save the world from a nuclear incident"

MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. The security of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) can not be guaranteed until restrictions on the use of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) are imposed on Ukraine, Rosenergoatom CEO’s Advisor Renat Karchaa said on Russian TV Monday, adding that beefing up Russia’s military presence is the world’s only hope for preventing a "nuclear incident" in this situation.

"Rockets [or shells] of the M777 howitzer, the HIMARS [MLRS] or the Storm Shadow missile - these are the things that pose the greatest threat today. Any talk about nuclear security is pointless in a situation when no restrictions are imposed on Ukraine, no responsibility is stipulated for use of military force at the ZNPP, use of MLRS in particular," Karchaa said.

He noted that physical protection of the ZNPP perimeter and the reinforcement of Russia’s military presence "is the only hope to save the world from a nuclear incident."

"We are making efforts to ensure nuclear security. In particular, with regards to the cooling infrastructure. These efforts, the efforts of a large number of people, may be destroyed in seconds. […] I do not wish to talk about a catastrophe, but we must save [the world] from even the slightest incident. It is radiation, it is dangerous," Karchaa underscored.

On June 23, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said during a Security Council meeting that Russia is extremely concerned over Kiev’s increasingly frequent claims that Russia allegedly rigs the ZNPP with explosives. He noted that the IAEA mission that visited the station recently was able to prove the absurdity of such claims.

Speaking in an interview for TASS, Karchaa said that the West wants to use an incident at the ZNPP in order to legitimize its own participation in hostilities in Ukraine as a party to the conflict.