MELITOPOL, March 4. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces have increased attacks on the city of Energodar, which hosts the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), ahead of Russia’s presidential election, the facility’s Director Yury Chernichuk told reporters.

"The enemy has increased its use of military equipment. There have been more drone attacks and the [March 1] artillery shelling of the city is a fact. I can say that the upcoming Russian presidential election is one of the reasons. It’s an element of intimidation," he said.

According to Chernichuk, Ukrainian attacks continue to pose a threat to the nuclear facility. "The line of contact is close and enemy troops are stationed five kilometers from the plant, so the threat is clearly still there," he stressed.

On March 1, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that its experts had heard the sound of an explosion near the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant on February 28 but the facility itself had not come under attack. On March 1, the Ukrainian army carried out an artillery attack on Energodar; an explosion took place near the city administration building. Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the We Stand With Russia movement, said that the Kiev forces had attacked the city with rockets on March 2.

Russia’s Federation Council, or upper house of parliament, has scheduled the presidential election for March 17, 2024. Voting will take place over three days - on March 15, 16 and 17, making it the first three-day election for Russia’s president. Four candidates will vie for the top office, namely Vladislav Davankov (nominated by the New People party), Nikolay Kharitonov (nominated by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, or CPRF), Vladimir Putin (self-nominee), and Leonid Slutsky (nominated by the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, or LDPR).