VLADIVOSTOK, September 7. /TASS/. Ukraine shells the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant with an unclear purpose and therefore poses a threat to nuclear security, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"The Ukrainian side creates threats to undermine nuclear security. Why are they doing this? I honestly don't really understand. Just to draw attention to their situation, or what, to create additional crises there?" the president said.

The Ukrainian armed forces continue to actively shell settlements on the left bank of the Dnieper River. The coastal towns, in particular, Kamenka-Dneprovskaya, Vodyanoye and Energodar are under fire. There are casualties, residential buildings and civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged. Shells also hit the area around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The Ukrainian armed forces have recently been regularly shelling the Zaporozhye plant with heavy weapons. They have also attempted to land paratroopers near the plant from the side of the reservoir. One of such attempts, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, was aimed at seizing the plant before the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) mission visit.

EEF-2022

Organized by the Roscongress Foundation, the Seventh Eastern Economic Forum will be running from September 5 to September 8 in Vladivostok. TASS is the event’s general information partner and its official photohost agency.

This year, the theme of the forum is: "On the Path to a Multipolar World."