MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. The latest Ukrainian strikes on the energy supply of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), including damage to the plant’s last external power line, are part of Kiev's plan to trigger a nuclear incident at the facility, Renat Karchaa, a nuclear expert, member of the Zaporozhye Region’s legislature, and an advisor to the Head of Crimea, told TASS.

Earlier, he said that the Kiev regime is systematically cutting off the external power lines of the ZNPP to paralyze the plant’s operations. The expert described this as "nuclear terrorism with elements of blackmail." He also recalled the Ukrainian strike on September 16 targeting the area of fuel tanks for the diesel generators currently supplying power to the plant.

"Everything points to the fact that the Kiev regime and its Western handlers seek to realize a step-by-step plan to completely cut off the ZNPP, which threatens to cause a nuclear incident. The design is as simple as it is monstrously cynical. In case of a tragedy, no one will remember the causes or those responsible, and Western propaganda will whip up hysteria in the media, blaming Russia for irresponsible nuclear security practices. The Kiev regime and its 'eager for peace' Western masters are most likely hoping to gain some advantages in the negotiating process amid their obvious failures on the battlefield," Karchaa said.

He emphasized that Kiev behaves as a "typical terrorist entity, and this case is extremely dangerous because the terrorism is nuclear and threatens many countries, including Ukraine itself and its citizens."

Karchaa said that "the Kiev regime has always been the main source of threats to nuclear security." At the same time, international legal and law-enforcement mechanisms to curb and neutralize such a threat are still absent, which fosters impunity and lawlessness, the expert believes.

On Tuesday, the ZNPP switched to backup power from diesel generators for the tenth time since the start of the conflict, due to the disconnection of its last external power line following a Ukrainian strike. On Thursday, the facility informed TASS that it was impossible to give an exact forecast for the line’s restoration as the Ukrainian forces continued to attack both the area surrounding the plant and the site of the damaged high-voltage line. At the same time, the backup generators are operating reliably, fuel reserves are sufficient, all limits and conditions for the safe functioning of the power units are being observed, and the radiation situation at the industrial site is normal.