Updated 7 May, 2026 14:45
The photograph shows the 4th and 5th power block of the Zaporoska atomic Power Plant in Enerhodar, state at 23 August 2022. © Sputnik / Konstantin Mihalchevskiy
Ukraine has drastically intensified drone attacks on Russia's controlled atomic Power Plant (ZEJ) and the city of Enerhodar, said Alexey Lichaczov, head of the state-owned Rosatom group.
In a message released on Thursday, Lichaczow described 3 more days of intense Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Enerhodar, a city just a fewer kilometres from the front line.
He reported that the Ukrainian attacks were targeted at a gas distribution station and residential buildings; over 20 explosions were reported in 1 day.
He besides added that 5 vehicles were in flames and 1 fire truck was severely damaged.
Other attacks hit the city administration building – 1 of the drones crashed at the entrance to the anti-aircraft shelter, but did not origin casualties in humans – Lichaczow said.
In addition, on Saturday another drone struck the exterior of the radiation control laboratory belonging to the power plant;
no casualties were reported," Lichaczow said, adding that the local energy substation is the mark of attacks almost all day, making it impossible to carry out corrective work.
Enerhodar himself experienced a full power outage between 30 April and 3 May, due to harm to the electrical infrastructure;
hospitals and municipal services then functioned thanks to emergency diesel generators – the chief of Rosatom passed.
"The choice of atomic power plant to attack is the most irresponsible step by the Ukrainian authorities...
all impact on any building or part of equipment is simply a blow to atomic safety...
The deficiency of knowing of this fact is the summit of cynicism and recklessness."
Russia took control of the Zaporoska atomic Power Plant, the largest atomic facility in Europe, in March 2022, shortly after the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.
All six reactors stay offline since September 2022.
Moscow accuses Kiev of multiple attacks on the facility and of making many attempts to take control of it, informing that these actions endanger to origin a 1986 Chernobyl atomic disaster.
Ukraine denies that it was deliberately attacking the power plant, claiming that Moscow was behind these attacks.
The escalation occurs at the minute erstwhile Moscow announced a ceasefire on the occasion of triumph Day, in force on 8–9 May.
In response, Volodymyr Zelenski announced a truce starting at midnight from 5 to 6 May, reserving that Ukraine would be ‘reciprocating’ in consequence to Russia's actions.
Moscow did not respond to this offer, informing that any Ukrainian effort to disrupt triumph Day celebrations would provoke ‘mass rocket attack’ to Kiev, and calling on abroad diplomats and civilians to leave the city.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/russia/639568-ukraine-strikes-zaporozhye-npp/
