Russia accuses Ukraine of "nuclear terrorism"

Russia on Friday blamed Ukraine for shelling near a reactor at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and accused President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government of practicing “nuclear terrorism.”

“Ukrainian armed units carried out three bombardments in the area of ​​the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and the city of Energodar,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.

“We urge the international community to condemn the criminal actions of the Zelensky regime, which perpetrates acts of nuclear terrorism,” he added.

Ukraine on Friday accused the Russians of having carried out bombings near a reactor of the nuclear plant, the largest in Europe, taken by Russian forces in March, the month after the invasion of the country.

According to the Ukrainian state-owned company Energoatom, which manages the country’s nuclear power plants, a high-voltage line was damaged in the attack, causing one of the plant’s reactors to shut down.

For its part, the Russian army said that “Ukrainian shells” they damaged a hydrogen pipeline at the plant, causing a fire that was quickly brought under control.

“By a happy coincidence, the Ukrainian shells did not target… a nearby oxygen plant, which prevented a larger fire and radioactive accident from occurring,” the Russian statement said.