MOSCOW, June 29. /TASS/. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said there is a constant threat of infrastructural provocations from Ukraine, including those against the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP).

"As for the threat of provocations by the Ukrainian regime, this threat is constant. The infrastructure sabotage at the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant demonstrated this to the full extent," Peskov told the media when asked whether Moscow saw risks of provocations amid the emergency drills Kiev had announced in case of an emergency at the ZNPP.

Peskov recalled that "just recently, representatives of the IAEA visited the ZNPP and some are there now."

"They saw the situation for themselves and they recorded the efforts that were being made to ensure the safety and stable operation of the power plant. This was acknowledged by the IAEA itself," Peskov said.

On Thursday, Yury Malashko, the head of the military administration in the Kiev-controlled part of the Zaporozhye Region, announced the beginning of exercises in which emergency response services would practice action to be taken in the event of a risk of an emergency at the ZNPP. Earlier, the head of the military administration of Dnipropetrovsk Region, Sergey Lysak, said that similar exercises would be held in Krivorozhye and Nikopol districts of the region.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky accused Russia of allegedly preparing an act of terrorism at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. Without presenting any evidence, he addressed such a message to the United States, Brazil, India and China, as well as countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Peskov dismissed Zelensky's claims as a lie.

The Zaporozhye NPP is located in Energodar. With its six power units with a total capacity of 6 GW it is largest nuclear power plant in Europe. At the end of February 2022, the facility was taken over by Russian forces. Since then, Ukrainian army units have periodically shelled Energodar’s residential areas. Some strikes with heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers hit the ZNPP’s premises.