VIENNA, September 26. /TASS/. Alexey Likhachev, director general at Rosatom, has said Ukrainian forces are shelling the Zaporozhye NPP and damaging the energy infrastructure, including in Russia, and are threatening nuclear safety in the region.
He made the statement at the 66th Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s General Conference.
"As part of the UN system, everyone has the right to their own opinion, but no one should have the right to have their own facts," he said, in comments accusing Russia of shelling the areas around the ZNPP, which were made by earlier speakers. "The armed forces of Ukraine are shelling the ZNPP with the help of drones, heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. Ukrainian sabotage units have blown up power lines at the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia. That’s a direct threat to nuclear safety."
According to Likhachev, there are no Russian troops and heavy weapons at the ZNPP. "There are units of the National Guard that perform security functions, and there are radiation, chemical and biological protection vehicles. Without them, it’s impossible to talk about the safety of the nuclear power plant amid incessant Ukrainian strikes," the Rosatom chief said.
The head of the Russian nuclear industry emphasized the fundamental position of the Russian Federation. "Ensuring nuclear safety and physical protection of nuclear facilities and installations is an absolute priority, wherever these facilities are located," he said.