Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu today warned of a “nuclear catastrophe” in the war in Ukraine.
He spoke out amid Western fears that Russia is planning a false flag operation to blame Ukraine for a nuclear leak that could cause radioactive pollution across Europe.
“An alarming situation is developing around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant,” Vladimir Putin’s defense minister said.
“Kiev subjects it to regular heavy weapon shelling.
“The actions of the Ukrainian armed forces could cause a nuclear catastrophe.”
Kiev has repeatedly denied that military action threatens the security of Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia.
Shoigu’s claims that Ukraine is shelling the power plant come just days after Russian missile strikes destroyed a hotel and residential block in the city, killing several civilians.
A Russian soldier stands guard at a checkpoint near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant outside Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, June 2023
A general view of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that Ukraine is firing on its own nuclear power plant
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu speaks at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security
In his remarks to Russian media, Shoigu claimed that Moscow was tracking incidents at the Zaporizhzhia power plant and reporting them daily to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
“Unfortunately there is no response,” he said.
He also claimed that Russia had so far not used cluster munitions in Ukraine – despite considerable evidence to the contrary – and accused the US of a war crime by supplying these weapons to Kiev.
“I want to point out that we also have cluster munitions,” he said. “So far we have refrained from using it for humanitarian reasons.
“However, this decision may be reconsidered.”
Shoigu spoke at the 11th Conference on International Security in Moscow, which was attended by Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.
His words follow a stark warning from Polish President Andrzej Duda that Russia is plotting “nuclear accidents” in occupied Ukraine.
Duda said, “I think Russia will not resort to using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
“If someone were to ask me about the nuclear threat, I would be much more concerned about possible problems with the nuclear power plants in Ukraine.”
Shoigu’s comments about Ukrainian shelling of Zaporizhzhia come just days after his own army fired rockets at a hotel and apartment building in the city.
Shocking footage showed the moment terrified children screamed as the missiles – identified by the national police as Russian Iskander missiles – flew overhead and struck the Reikartz Hotel in the city center, just a few hundred meters away. on Thursday.
Shocking footage showed the moment terrified children screamed as the missiles – identified by the national police as Russian Iskander missiles – flew overhead and struck the Reikartz Hotel in the city center
According to coordinator Denise Brown, Reikartz was a popular place for journalists and aid workers and was used by United Nations personnel on humanitarian missions.
Children were heard screaming after the Russian missile hit the hotel and exploded in a huge fireball
Women and children run from the site of the missile strike
The hotel can be seen in the aftermath of the strike, surrounded by craters and the twisted wreckage of cars
The hotel erupts in a bright yellow fireball as the second rocket hit in the heartbreaking clip, while photos shared by officials in the aftermath of the attack showed a large crater and car wrecks around the badly damaged building.
According to coordinator Denise Brown, Reikartz was a popular place for journalists and aid workers and was used by United Nations personnel on humanitarian missions.
“I am shocked by the news that a hotel often used by United Nations staff and our colleagues from NGOs supporting war-affected people was recently hit by a Russian attack in Zaporizhzhia,” she said. “I have stayed in this hotel every time I visited Zaporizhzhia.”
It was the second attack on Zaporizhzhia in as many days – two young women and a man were killed and nine other people injured by Moscow’s rockets on Wednesday.
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