Russia accuses Ukrainian saboteurs of attacking Europe's largest nuclear plant

A Ukrainian sabotage group attempted “a provocation” at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, which Kyiv wanted to use to malign Moscow, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Friday.

A band of “Ukrainian nationalists” opened heavy fire at Russian soldiers guarding the plant on Thursday night, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a news briefing in Moscow.

The attackers fired from a training complex at the site and wanted to draw a response from Russian forces that would endanger Europe’s largest nuclear facility, he said.

“Russian personnel used small arms to suppress the attack. No heavy weapons were used because of the potential danger to the plant,” Konashenkov said.

He said the Ukrainian saboteurs set fire to the training complex while escaping, but the blaze was quickly extinguished by firefighters.

“At the time of the provocation, none of the employees of the power plant were in the training building,” he added.

Regular operations have resumed at the plant, with staff manning all facilities and monitoring radiation levels, which are normal, according to Konashenkov.

The spokesman also rebuffed claims by Ukrainian authorities that Zaporizhzhia came under Russian control on Thursday night, asserting that Russian forces had taken over the plant and its nearby territory on Feb. 28.

He said Ukrainian forces posted there had abandoned the area and “disappeared” before Russian troops arrived.