Zelenskiy warns Russia plans to attack three nuclear plants in Ukraine
- 25 September, 09:55
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Russia plans to strike three nuclear power plants in Ukraine’s territory.
Addressing the UN Security Council in New York on September 24, Zelenskiy said Kyiv had evidence and "proof" of Russia’s plans, without specifying which stations were under threat.
"If Russia is ready to go that far, it means nothing you value matters to Moscow. This kind of Russian cynicism will keep striking if it’s given any room in the world," he said.
In his speech Zelensky recalled the “horrifying” moment in the first weeks of the war when Russian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the largest in Europe, stirred fears among Ukrainians of another Chernobyl-style disaster.
“No one could know how Russian strikes on the nuclear facility would end, and everyone in Ukraine was reminded of what Chernobyl means,” he said.
Two and a half years later, Zelensky cautioned that the Russian-occupied ZNPP is still “at risk of a nuclear incident.” Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other for past incidents at the facility. According to the World Nuclear Association, Ukraine operates three other nuclear power plants.
During Russia’s occupation, the plant has frequently been disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid as a result of Russian strikes on the nation's energy infrastructure. Recently, Kyiv has issued increasing warnings about these types of attacks.
