MOSCOW, June 23. /TASS/. Russia will take all measures to deprive the Kiev government of the opportunity to deliver strikes on energy facilities, the Russian foreign ministry’s official spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said, commenting on latest Ukrainian attacks on the city of Energodar.
"The systematic nature of Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and other Russian energy facilities exposes a fairly established and deliberate tendency, aimed at inflicting irreparable damage to the Russian economy and creating the risk of a man-made disaster that will put security of the entire European continent at risk," she said. "Realizing how untrustworthy the regime of [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky is, our country will take all necessary measures in his regard, in order to deprive the Kiev regime of the opportunity to perform attacks of this kind."
"It is not the first time that the Zelensky regime is showing its total disregard for questions of security of civil nuclear facilities. This is manifested, among other things, in their persistence to create risks for ZNPP staff fulfilling their duties, and in attempts to exert external influence on decision-making by the power plant’s personnel," she continued.
Zakharova went on to say that Moscow has been doing its best to ensure proper working atmosphere for the power plant’s personnel, including through improving social and economic conditions in the adjacent city of Energodar, and repairing infrastructure.
"We are doing everything possible to cater for all needs of the population there and also to protect the people from the Kiev junta and its wicked provocative acts," the spokeswoman added.
"Nevertheless, we have to admit that ZNPP personnel and their family members, including children, continue to receive threats from Ukrainian special services. Apparently, the Kiev regime has no plans of abandoning its policy of intimidating the power plant’s personnel through blackmail and intense psychological pressure," she said.
The armed forces of Ukraine attacked Energodar’s energy infrastructure on June 19 and 21.
On June 19, four Ukrainian drones destroyed the Luch substation, which triggered energy and water supply outages in the city lasting several hours. On June 21, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that the damage sustained by the Luch substation had a direct impact on nuclear safety and security.