Russia accuses Ukraine of plotting to attack Kursk nuclear power plant, Kiev denies

On August 17, Interfax news agency quoted a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry saying that the agency accused Ukraine of planning an attack on the Kursk nuclear power plant and blamed Moscow for such a "provocation".

Russia has prevented a UAV attack on the Kursk nuclear power plant in the city of Kurchatov. (Source: TASS)

The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that Moscow would respond harshly in case of such an attack. Russia believes that this move by Kiev would contaminate a large surrounding area.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that his forces were "reinforcing" their positions in Russia's Kursk province, where Kiev had launched a large-scale cross-border attack.

Mr Zelensky also said: "General (Oleksandr) Syrsky reported on strengthening our forces' positions in Kursk and expanding this stable territory." Mr Syrsky is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian army.

According to RT (Russia), in a statement on August 17, the Russian Defense Ministry said that officials are taking very seriously reports of Kiev's planned attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, located about 90 km from the Ukraine-Russia border, the facility that has become the scene of fierce fighting in recent days.

The statement came after Russian military journalist Marat Khairullin cited sources saying on August 16 that Kiev was preparing “a nuclear false flag operation – a dirty atomic bomb explosion” targeting spent nuclear fuel storage sites at a nuclear power plant.

According to journalist Khairullin, the attack could also have targeted Russia's Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant in Energodar - also not far from the front line - or the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Kurchatov.

However, Ukraine has denied this accusation.

The Kursk nuclear power plant, which is crucial to the electricity supply of several neighboring regions, is still operating normally, according to Russian officials.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nga-to-ukraine-am-muu-tan-cong-nha-may-dien-hat-nhan-kursk-kiev-mot-muc-phu-nhan-282986.html