A view shows the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 22, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko/File Photo

i24 News – Russia’s Defense Ministry on Sunday accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which had been captured by Russian troops in March.

Moscow claimed that on Sunday morning alone, Ukraine fired 12 large-caliber artillery shells, one of which allegedly hit the roof of the plant’s building, where, according to Russia’s atomic energy operator Rosenergoatom, “Fresh nuclear fuel is kept.”

According to Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, the rest of the rockets exploded near the fourth and fifth power units of the station. Rosenergoatom also said that the area around the site of a dry storage facility for nuclear waste came under fire.

The ministry added that Ukraine fired two shells at the power line that feeds the nuclear plant. There were no reports of casualties and “the radiation situation in the area of ​​the nuclear power plant remains normal,” according to Konashenkov.

The head of Russia’s Chechnya Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov – who is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s so-called “hawks” – called for more brutal attacks on Ukraine, published a video that allegedly shows the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by the Ukrainian forces. The authenticity of the video, as well as the date when it was filmed, wasn’t confirmed.

Ukraine’s energy operator Energoatom in turn said the “Russian military shelled Zaporizhzhia power plant all morning.” According to the statement, the strikes disabled the infrastructure that is needed to “renew the production of electricity at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for the needs of Ukraine.”

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, called for an immediate end to the shelling of the power plant. He confirmed that on Saturday evening and on Sunday morning the strikes resumed in the area. According to the IAEA observers, some buildings, systems and equipment were damaged, “but the damage is not yet critical for nuclear safety,” Grossi said.

“Whoever is behind this, it must be stopped immediately. As I have said many times, you are playing with fire,” he stressed.