Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu today warned of a “nuclear catastrophe” in the Ukraine war.
He spoke amid Western fears that Russia is planning a false flag operation blaming Ukraine for a nuclear leak that could unleash radioactive contamination across Europe.
“An alarming situation is developing around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” Vladimir Putin’s defense minister said.
‘kyiv is subjecting it to regular shelling with heavy weapons.
“The actions of the Ukrainian armed forces could trigger a nuclear catastrophe.”
kyiv has repeatedly denied military action that threatens the security of Russian-controlled 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 service member stands guard at a checkpoint near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant outside Enerhodar in the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, June 2023
A general view of the Russian controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has claimed that Ukraine is bombing its own nuclear power plant.
Sergei Shoigu, Russian defense minister, speaks at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security
In his comments to Russian media, Shoigu alleged that Moscow was following the incidents at the Zaporizhzhia power plant and reported them daily to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
“There is no reaction, unfortunately,” 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 in supplying these weapons to Kiev.
“I would like to point out that we also have cluster munitions,” he said. “Until now, we have refrained from using them for humanitarian reasons.
“However, this decision may be reconsidered.”
Shoigu was speaking at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security attended by Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.
His words follow a stern warning by Polish President Andrzej Duda that Russia is plotting “nuclear accidents” in occupied Ukraine.
Duda said: ‘I believe that Russia will not resort to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
“If someone were to ask me about the nuclear threat, I am much more concerned about the potential problems with nuclear power plants in Ukraine.”
Shoigu’s comments about the Ukrainian shelling of Zaporizhzhia come just days after his own army fired rockets at a hotel and an apartment block in the city.
Shocking footage showed the moment terrified children screamed as the rockets, identified by national police as Russian Iskander missiles, rose up and crashed into the Reikartz Hotel in the city center just a few hundred meters away. Thursday.
Shocking footage showed the moment terrified children screamed as the rockets, identified by national police as Russian Iskander missiles, rose up and crashed into the Reikartz Hotel in the city center.
Reikartz was a popular location for journalists and aid workers, and was used by United Nations personnel on humanitarian missions, according to coordinator Denise Brown.
Children were heard screaming after the Russian missile slammed into the hotel and exploded in a huge ball of fire.
The women and children begin to run from the scene of the missile attack.
The hotel is seen after the strike surrounded by craters and the twisted remains of cars.
The hotel is seen erupting in a bright yellow fireball as the second missile hit in the harrowing clip, while footage shared by officials after the attack showed a large crater and wrecked cars around the badly damaged building.
Reikartz was a popular location for journalists and aid workers, and was used by United Nations personnel on humanitarian missions, according to coordinator Denise Brown.
“I am shocked by the news that a hotel frequently used by United Nations staff and our colleagues from NGOs supporting war-affected people has been hit by a Russian attack in Zaporizhzhia recently,” she said. “I have stayed at this hotel every time I have visited Zaporizhzhia.”
It was the second attack on Zaporizhzhia in as many days: two young women and one man were killed and nine others injured by missiles from Moscow on Wednesday.
