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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday accused Russia of “nuclear terrorism” as fighting continued around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine.
At an international defense conference in Denmark, Zelensky warned that Russia could cause the “greatest radiation accident in history” at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
“In terms of actual consequences, it could be even more devastating than Chernobyl,” he said.
After ‘suicide’ shelling, UN seeks to gain access to Ukrainian nuclear power plant
Adding to the fallout caused by its damage and destruction is equivalent to “Russia’s use of nuclear weapons, but no nuclear attack.”
Zelenskyy’s comments come days of international concern after the factory was attacked over the weekend when shelling fell around the site.
Russia and Ukraine are blaming each other.
G7 leaders have called on Russia to return control of its nuclear power plants to Ukraine. This nuclear power plant has already damaged a significant part of the complex.
The plant’s communication lines, radiation monitoring sensors, nitrogen oxygen stations, hydrogen pipelines and other parts of the plant’s infrastructure have already been damaged, Zelensky said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed “serious” concern over the ongoing fighting in the region and called on both sides to halt all military activity in the vicinity of the factory, with “devastating consequences”. It called for “exercising common sense and reason” to avoid it.
“Unfortunately, instead of de-escalating, there have been reports of incidents in recent days that raise even more serious concerns, and if continued, could lead to disaster,” he added in the statement. .
Ukraine has accused Russia of using the factory as a “nuclear shield” and deploying about 500 Russian soldiers on the scene, the BBC reported.
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Kyiv claims that Russia turned the nuclear power plant into a military base and fired missile strikes from vulnerable positions, knowing that Ukraine would be reluctant to counterattack in the direction of the nuclear power plant.
“Russia has become a terrorist state, actually holding nuclear power plants hostage and threatening a possible disaster,” Zelensky said Thursday. “No one can stop the wind that carries radiation, but together we can stop the terrorist state.
“The sooner we stop Russia, the sooner Europe and the world will be able to feel safe again,” he added.
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Zelensky called for tougher sanctions against Russia and its nuclear program.
The United Nations called on both countries to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency immediate access to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.