MELITOPOL, November 21. /TASS/. Visiting experts who have inspected the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant have been provided with evidence that the Ukrainian army on November 19-20 shelled the power plant from Marganets, in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, an adviser to the CEO of the Rosenergoatom concern, Renat Karchaa, told TASS.
"The source of the strikes was located in Marganets (the Dnepropetrovsk Region - TASS). The experts asked our ballistic specialist clarifying questions and he answered them all. They were provided with exhaustive demonstrations, explanations and answers to their questions," he said.
Karchaa stressed that while inspecting the traces of shellings at the ZNPP, the IAEA inspectors were accompanied by an expert in ballistics.
"A highly qualified expert in ballistics explained to them in detail, based on solid proof, the location of the source of strikes," Karchaa emphasized. The IAEA specialists, after studying the sites where shells hit the power plant, sent their report to the IAEA headquarters. According to Karchaa, the IAEA experts visiting ZNPP were either biased from the outset or under strong pressure, but Russia continued to cooperate with this organization and showed a constructive approach.
He also added that protective facilities were being built at the ZNPP to serve as an "airbag" and protect the nuclear waste storage from possible hits by artillery shells.
"The shellings [of the ZNPP] will stop only in one case. If, under guarantees provided by major states that are the real decision-making centers regarding Ukraine (Ukraine stopped to be an actor in its own right a long time ago) a binding document is signed to oblige Ukraine to cease all artillery activities in this area. Only when Ukraine realizes the consequences of violations will it be possible to discuss and expect something in earnest. Everything else - the preservation of the current state of affairs - will be tantamount to a permanent threat to the ZNPP," Karchaa said.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Ukrainian army after a two-month pause resumed the shellings of the ZNPP. On November 19-20 alone it fired at least 25 shells at the power plant. One hit the roof of special building No. 2, where nuclear fuel is stored. The attackers were suppressed by return fire. The radiation level in the area of the power plant is normal, the Defense Ministry said.