Provoked accident at Zaporizhia NPP could become, in fact, use of nuclear weapons by Russia – Zelensky

KYIV. Aug 11 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Russia could provoke the largest accident in history at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (NPP), which, in fact, would be the use of nuclear weapons without a nuclear strike, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday, speaking via video link at the conference of Ukraine’s partner countries at the level of defense ministers.

"If the Soviet authorities tried to conceal the Chornobyl disaster and its full consequences, the Russian authorities are much more cynical and dangerous – they themselves do everything to maximize the risk of a nuclear disaster, and lie to the whole world that someone else is allegedly to blame," he said.

"The Russian occupation army is using the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant for terror and armed provocations. Russia has turned the nuclear plant into a battlefield," Zelensky said.

"When the occupiers came to the Zaporizhia NPP, their tanks fired at it. Placing military equipment on the territory of the plant and even disposing of ammunition there, the Russian troops surely know that they are putting the whole of Europe at risk of a nuclear disaster," he said.

"In August, they damaged the plant’s communication lines with our power system, as well as radiation monitoring sensors, and nitrogen-oxygen station. Already then, Europe was a few steps away from a nuclear disaster," Zelensky said.

"We are convinced that it is not a coincidence that the trajectory of the cruise missiles which Russia fires at the territory of Ukraine passes over the Ukrainian nuclear power plants," he said.

"Russia can cause the largest radiation accident in history at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. In terms of actual consequences, it could be even more catastrophic than Chornobyl, and in fact – the same as the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, but without a nuclear strike," Zelensky said.

"In response to nuclear blackmail, tough sanctions are needed against Rosatom, and the entire Russian nuclear industry, not an agreement with them," he said.

"We need even greater support for Ukraine with weapons and ammunition. Russia still receives tens of billions of dollars due to trade with Europe. And we cannot wait until the war is over to restore normal life. Ukraine needs reconstruction. And even more so on the eve of the winter season. Sufficient and timely financial support for the budget and for the Fast Recovery is as vital as weapons and ammunition for our army, and sanctions against Russia," Zelensky said.

Zelensky also announced the need to strengthen sanctions that take into account dual-use products.