Ukraine’s state nuclear energy company Energoatom issued a statement today saying that there had been an explosion at the Russian-controlled Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). The government-owned Ukrinform states: “Sources say that an explosion occurred near the turbine room of Unit 4.” However, the Energoatom statement reads:
“The Russian occupiers continue to turn Zaporizhzhia NPP into a military base by mining the perimeter around the plant. And these actions cannot but have consequences. Europe’s largest nuclear facility continues to suffer from the arbitrariness of the Russian military and their henchmen….” The clear implication is that the establishment of a perimeter had something to do with an explosion near a unit’s turbine room.
It is not known presently what exploded. However, for over a year, the only thing that has exploded anywhere near the nuclear units has been Ukrainian artillery fire. Energoatom would have readers assume that a mine from around the perimeter exploded, and they refer to Dmytro Orlov, the “mayor” of the adjacent city of Energodar, saying that residents have noticed the Russians planting mines around them.
