MOSCOW, August 8. /TASS/. The leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency is aware of risks created by the Kiev government’s shelling attacks targeting the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP), but takes no real measures to prevent them, the region’s top official has said.
"The IAEA leadership is fully aware that the Kiev-backed neo-Nazis are creating real risks of a nuclear disaster for the whole world, but they take no practical measures to stop the Kiev government’s criminal behavior," Yevgeny Balitsky, the head of the Zaporozhye region’s military-civilian administration, said in his Telegram channel.
The press service of Energodar’s military-civilian administration said on Sunday the Ukrainian troops had once again shelled the NPP, with the spent nuclear fuel storage area coming into the impact zone. According to Balitsky, the rocket’s elements landed about 400 meters away from an operational reactor building.
"The Ukrainian armed groups used a 220-mm Uragan MLRS cluster round to attack the territory of the Zaporozhye NPP. If a man-made disaster occurs, the [Ukrainian-controlled] cities of Nikopol, Zaporozhye, Krivoy Rog and the majority of Ukraine’s western regions will find themselves within the zone of radioactive pollution, that will spread onwards to the entire Europe," Balitsky said.
The city administration of Energodar where the NPP is located said on Saturday that the Ukrainian side had shelled the area three times during the day. On Friday, Ukrainian troops shelled the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. Following this attack, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi said he was concerned by this attack and urged all combat operation threatening the plant’s security be stopped.
By today, Kiev has lost control over more than 70% of the territory of the Zaporozhye region. Peaceful life is gradually restoring on these territories, which are being integrated into Russia’s legal and economic framework. Local authorities say they want to join Russia and organize a referendum on this matter in September. Ukraine, however, continues to shell civilian facilities on liberated territories.