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Military operation in Ukraine

Putin dismisses as nonsense allegations Russia shells ZNPP

It is noted that in a report IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said he could not answer the question who was shelling the ZNPP

VLADIVOSTOK, September 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed as nonsense the allegations Russia shells the Zaporozhye NPP, adding that fragments of rockets from the US-made multiple launch system HIMARS had been found near the power plant.

"We control the power plant. Our military personnel are stationed there. Are we shooting at ourselves? It's nonsense. There is no other word for it," Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum on Wednesday.

He added that in conversations Western partners were admitting that this "does not fit in with common sense."

"This is the one argument. Secondly, fragments of HIMARS rockets and other Western weapons are scattered around," Putin stressed.

On September 6, the IAEA summarized the results of its inspection at Ukraine's nuclear facilities and, in particular, the Zaporozhye NPP. In a report released on Tuesday, the agency called for the creation of a safety zone around the ZNPP to prevent possible accidents. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said he could not answer the question who was shelling the ZNPP.

The Ukrainian army continues to actively bombard communities on the left bank of the Dnieper River. Several cities, in particular, Kamenka-Dneprovskaya, Vodyanoye and Energodar, come under fire. There have been casualties and damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. Some shells hit the area around the ZNPP, Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Lately, the Ukrainian forces have been regularly shelling the power plant with heavy weapons. Also, they tried to send groups of saboteurs to the power plant across the nearby water reservoir. The purpose of one of such attempts, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, was to capture the ZNPP ahead of the arrival of IAEA inspectors.

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Vladimir Putin IAEA Military operation in Ukraine

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