Kyiv: Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has told Sputnik, that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky had attempted to use provocations at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) amid convincing the Western Countries for establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
On Friday, the Russian Defence Ministry said that a provocation was attempted by Ukrainian authorities overnight by accusing Russia of creating a source of radioactive contamination at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
While patrolling the adjacent area of the station, a group of Russian Army men was attacked by the Ukrainian sabotage unit. The sabotage unit open fired on them from the windows of several floors of an educational and training institution located near the NPP. Amid the return fire, the firing points of the Ukrainian sabotage group were suppressed.
“Of course, it was a deliberate provocation because, first of all, no sane Russian or Ukrainian soldier would ever dare to carry out this sort of provocation on the territory of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which has six nuclear power units,” Azarov said.
He pointed that ‘even a small fire at the training and retraining centre was still an emergency situation at such a supercategory nuclear facility.’
“So, firstly, it is absolutely obvious that this was a well-considered provocation. Secondly, Zelenskyy’s instant reaction which was at night and his instant message to the Americans and to the United Kingdom with absolutely false information itself show that this was a prepared provocation, which he was aware of, because he used this provocation to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine,” Azarov concluded.
Ukraine has condemned Russia for the attack, which could turn out to be a calamitous one. Yesterday morning Ukraine’s emergency services said that they have gained access to the nuclear power plant. “As of 05:20 at the Zaporizhzhia NPP in Energodar, State Emergency Service units went to put out the fire in the training building,” the state emergency services wrote on Facebook, noting that 40 people and 10 vehicles were involved in the operation.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of attempting to repeat the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. About the crisis at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, he had spoken with the international leaders including the US president Joe Biden.
Zelensky, appealing on a global level, said, “This is the first time in our history. In the history of mankind. The terrorist state now resorted to nuclear terror. If there is an explosion, it is the end of everything. The end of Europe. This is the evacuation of Europe. Only immediate European action can stop Russian troops.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of endangering the whole of Europe, by attacking the nuclear power plant. “The Prime Minister said the reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe,” according to a Downing Street statement.
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