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Official: Terrorism at nuclear plant will be considered nuclear attack

1 min read
Official: Terrorism at nuclear plant will be considered nuclear attack
A Ukrainian Emergency Ministry rescuer attends an exercise in the city of Zaporizhzhia on Aug. 17, 2022, in case of a possible nuclear incident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant located in neighboring Enerhodar. (Photo by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)

A terrorist attack against a nuclear plant would be considered equivalent to using nuclear weapons against civilians, National Security and Defense Council chief Oleksii Danilov told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on June 30.

The official said that Ukraine will be carefully watching the world's reaction if a terror attack at the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant comes to pass.

Danilov noted that after the Kakhovka dam destruction, which unleashed a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine's south, the world's reaction did not correspond to the country's suffering.

He added that some Western partners are appealing to Moscow not to make this step as it will have "catastrophic" consequences for Russia.

In Danilov's words, Kyiv is doing everything possible to prevent this terrorist attack, but the power station is now in the hands of "unpredictable" terrorists.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 20, citing intelligence reports, that Moscow is considering a terrorist attack at the plant by deliberately leaking radiation. According to Interior Minister, special coordination centers have already been deployed across Ukraine to prepare for the eventuality.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov told New Statesman on June 23 that Russia had completed preparations for the terror attack at the nuclear plant.

New Statesman: Budanov says Russia’s plan to sabotage Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been ‘drafted and approved’
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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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