Kremlin denies reports of Russian strike on Chernobyl nuclear plant

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Kremlin on Friday rejected reports that Russia targeted the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, calling the allegations "fake" and a "provocation" aimed at disrupting international talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, claimed that Kyiv staged the incident to coincide with the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where global leaders are set to discuss security concerns, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

"Striking any nuclear infrastructure is out of the question—I mean nuclear energy facilities. Therefore, any such claims are false. The Russian military does not engage in such actions," Peskov said.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, reinforced Peskov’s statements during a separate news conference. She asserted that the allegations were part of a broader effort by Ukraine to undermine Russia’s standing on the world stage.

"There is no doubt that this is a provocation," Zakharova said, adding that similar accusations had emerged before last year’s Munich conference. She claimed that Ukraine previously accused Russia of attacking civilian infrastructure and vilify Moscow to strengthen its case for additional Western aid.