A “total blackout” hit the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant for a few hours during the night of December 1st to 2nd, says the Ukrainian operator Energoatom, which accuses Russian forces controlling the plant.
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The Ukrainian power station of Zaporizhia, in the hands of Russian troops, found itself “on the verge of a nuclear accident” on the night of December 1st to 2nd due to a temporary power outage, warns the Ukrainian nuclear operator Energoatom.
“Last night a total blackout occurred at the Zaporizhia power plant”wrote Energoatom on Telegram, specifying that power was restored a few hours later. “The (Russian) occupying forces do not care about security at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”accused the president of the operator, Petro Kotine.
The two camps have been accusing each other of wanting to cause a catastrophe in Zaporizhzhia for several months. Russia claimed in early November to have intercepted nine Ukrainian drones flying near the power plant. For its part, kyiv had accused Moscow at the beginning of July of preparing a “provocation” in Zaporizhia, the army claiming that “objects similar to explosive devices had been placed” on the roofs of reactors 3 and 4.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned of“an increase in attacks in the surrounding area” nuclear power plants “in Zaporizhzhia and also in other Ukrainian centers”, November 29. “This concerns us greatly,” warned IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
