Moscow, August 18, 2024, The Europe Today: Russia has called on the international community to respond firmly to reports suggesting that Kiev is planning an attack on the Kursk nuclear power plant, according to a statement made by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Saturday.
Zakharova’s remarks follow reports from Russian journalists about a purported plot to target the Kursk plant. The Russian Defense Ministry has vowed to respond swiftly and harshly if such plans materialize. The Ukrainian military recently conducted a cross-border incursion into the region where the plant is located, approximately 90 kilometers from the Ukraine-Russia border, which has seen intensified clashes between the two nations’ forces in recent days.
In her statement, Zakharova urged international bodies, including the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to condemn what she described as “provocative actions” by the Kiev regime. She warned that such actions could lead to a significant technogenic catastrophe in Europe. Zakharova emphasized that these plans not only threaten the nuclear facility’s security but also contravene principles established by the IAEA head Rafael Grossi in 2022 amidst the ongoing conflict.
“The entire international community should recognize the threat posed by the neo-Nazi Kiev regime to the European continent,” Zakharova stated, adding that attempts to intimidate and terrorize should be resolutely countered by collective efforts.
As of Saturday evening, neither the UN nor the IAEA has issued a response to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement.
Russian military journalist Marat Khairullin reported on Friday that Kiev was allegedly plotting a ‘false flag’ operation involving the detonation of a ‘dirty’ bomb, targeting spent nuclear fuel storage at either the Kursk NPP or the Zaporozhye NPP in Energodar. The Zaporozhye plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe, is also situated near the front lines. Kiev has vehemently denied these allegations.
The Russian Defense Ministry has indicated that any attempts to create a man-made disaster in Europe will be met with “tough military and military-technical countermeasures.”
