Ukrainian authorities announced on Friday that Russia is scaling back its presence at the Zaporijia nuclear power plant, about a week after the Ukrainian president warned Moscow was planning a “terrorist act” at those facilities.
The intelligence agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine indicated in a message on its Telegram account that “according to the latest data, the occupation contingent is gradually withdrawing from the territory of the Zaporijia nuclear power plant”.
“Among the first to leave the station were three Rosatom officials, who directed the actions of the Russians. The Ukrainian officials who signed a contract with Rosatom were also advised to leave,” that structure revealed, adding that ” the instructions they received indicate that they must leave before July 5″.
He underlined that “the intended destination is the territory of occupied Crimea,” reiterating that among those who left the location are several senior officials.
“In addition, the number of military patrols is gradually decreasing in the territory of the central and in the satellite city of Energodar,” he noted.
According to the intelligence service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, “The employees who remained at the station were instructed to ‘blame Ukraine in case of emergency'”.
Russia has not commented on this information, although the Kremlin recently stated that the Ukrainian president’s accusations are “another lie”.
Last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for the establishment of a safety zone around the plant to prevent the risk of an accident.
Kiev believes that Moscow uses such strategic facilities as blackmail, as the possible consequences of a nuclear disaster would go beyond Ukraine’s borders.
The Zaporijia plant, the largest in Europe, has six reactors, which came into operation between 1984 and 1995. It has been under the control of Russian troops since March last year, shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. constantly offensive.
Source: DN
