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Attempts to capture ZNPP lead to pointless deaths of mobilized Ukrainians — governor

Yevgeny Balitsky noted that the safety of the ZNPP and its perimeter is reliably safeguarded by the Russian military, and that "the power plant's personnel are performing their duties"

MELITOPOL, November 5. /TASS/. Ukrainian attempts to capture the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) have resulted in significant casualties among Ukrainian troops and the pointless sacrifice of mobilized personnel, Zaporozhye Region Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said.

"The attempts to so-called capture the Zaporozhye NPP don’t let Western military commanders sleep at night, leading to colossal enemy casualties and the unnecessary sacrifice of mobilized Ukrainians," Balitsky stated.

He added that the safety of the ZNPP and its perimeter is reliably safeguarded by the Russian military, and that "the power plant's personnel are performing their duties." The radiation levels at the power plant are normal, he noted.

Earlier, ZNPP spokesperson Yevgenia Yashina told TASS that "such reckless behavior by the Kiev regime" poses a threat not only to the plant itself but also to the development of the global nuclear power industry. She emphasized that the protection of the ZNPP is adequate, and both the plant’s staff and the Russian Armed Forces are doing everything in their power to ensure its safety. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors at the site have been fully informed, she added. Yashina also reported that all six reactors at the plant remain in a "cold shutdown" state, and no violations of safety protocols have been observed.

Earlier, Commander of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection (NBC) Troops Igor Kirillov stated that Russian forces thwarted an attempt to capture the ZNPP in an operation dubbed "Short Circuit." The Ukrainian regime launched this attempt after its plan to capture the Kursk NPP failed. Ukrainian special operations forces were supposed to take the ZNPP with the support of ten multiple launch rocket systems and six drones. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the operation was planned for October 11 and 12. On October 12, Ukrainian forces were set to cross the Dnieper River and seize control of the power plant, but the plan was foiled by preemptive Russian actions.

Kirillov also noted that Ukrainian forces had made similar attempts in 2022, when units of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, supported by foreign mercenaries, tried to cross the Kakhovka Reservoir to establish a foothold for a subsequent attempt to capture the ZNPP.