UPDATE 2 - Russia says Ukraine might target Zaporizhzhia, Kursk nuclear power plants

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia claimed on Saturday that Ukrainian authorities plan to carry out strikes at the Kursk and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants and subsequently accuse Moscow of doing it.

"At the moment, it is known about the intention to attack the nuclear facilities of the Kursk and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants in Kurchatov and Energodar. The purpose of the strikes is to subsequently accuse the Russian Federation of provocation," the Russian military police said in a statement on Telegram.

According to the statement, Kyiv also wants to force Moscow to carry out strikes with nuclear weapons in Ukraine in response to attacks against the Kursk and Zaporizhzhia plants.

Ukraine plans to hit the storage sites of spent nuclear fuel and, for this purpose, warheads have already been delivered to the Vostochny Mining and Processing Plant in the Yellow Waters of the Dnipro region, it claimed.

In a separate statement, the Russian Defense Ministry stressed that it takes "very seriously" the information about alleged plans to attack nuclear power plants.

"We regard such actions by the Kyiv regime with the support of Western patrons as a direct and clear violation of the international convention adopted by the UN General Assembly," it stressed.

The ministry warned that the implementation of such plans will lead to a "man-made disaster with radioactive contamination of vast territories in the European part of the continent," and pledged "harsh military and technical measures" in response.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged the relevant international structures, including the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to condemn "Ukraine's preparations for a provocation."

The ministry emphasized that any damage to the Kursk NPP may result in a large-scale man-made disaster in Europe, noting that people have to understand that Ukraine's authorities "pose an international threat."

"Attempts of intimidation and terror against entire regions and the international community as a whole must be resolutely suppressed by joint efforts," it said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry was quick to deny the allegations, saying Kyiv has neither such intentions nor capabilities to do so.

"We officially refute these false reports. Ukraine has neither the intention nor the possibility of any such action," spokesman Georgiy Tykhy told reporters in Kyiv.