Russia fired artillery near Zaporizhzhia NPP. Ukraine says it's nuclear terrorism

Russian artillery volleys were recorded near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks allies to increase pressure on Russia, which violates international norms with such actions, and force it to vacate the nuclear facility.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi On August 6, the team of inspectors reported that numerous artillery volleys came from the area in close proximity to the ZNPP perimeter and lasted for more than an hour. The IAEA staff was at the plant at the time to inspect the spent fuel storage facility.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that this is a serious incident that confirms the "cynical and irresponsible" use of ZNPP as a military facility and a "nuclear shield" by the occupiers to cover the shelling of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

"These actions are part of a deliberate and systematic tactic of the Russian occupation forces. Under the guise of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, the aggressor strikes at peaceful towns and villages of Ukraine, realizing that any military response to the plant is limited due to the unprecedented risk of a nuclear disaster," the ministry said .

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded that previous similar shelling had already damaged critical infrastructure, including several external power lines that are necessary to meet ZNPP's own needs. Because of this, the plant had to rely on only one backup power line, which is an unreliable system.

"Each such incident brings us closer to the line beyond which a continental-scale tragedy can occur," the Foreign Ministry emphasized .

Ukraine considers Russia's actions to be a gross violation of the principles of international law, the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the IAEA principles.

"Establishing military positions on the territory of a nuclear facility and conducting hostilities from there is an act of nuclear terrorism that requires a decisive and consolidated response from the international community," the ministry said .

Ukraine calls on its international partners to increase pressure on Russia to immediately demilitarize and de-occupy Zaporizhzhia NPP and return it to the full control of the legitimate operator, Ukraine's Energoatom, the ministry summarized.

• on May 25, shooting was heard at ZNPP. Grossi said the situation is "clearly unstable.".
• On July 14, the IAEA reported that hundreds of shots were fired near the reactor units of the ZNPP. The organization's director general said the military activity was unacceptable.