Russia escalates situation with ZNPP to turn tide of war in its favor – Maliar

Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Maliar said this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

According to Maliar, the information space was filled with reports about the possibility of a terrorist attack at the ZNPP.

“It should be understood that a terrorist country is capable of any, even completely reckless, actions, which it will then try to pass off as someone else’s,” Maliar emphasized.

To minimize potential negative consequences, emergency services have been training for several days in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions to overcome the consequences of a possible terrorist attack on the ZNPP, she noted.

“Why is Russia escalating the situation with the ZNPP and may resort to terrorist actions on its territory? To turn the tide of the war in its favor,” emphasized Maliar.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that both scenarios – both intimidation by terrorist acts and their direct commission – are tools for the Russian Federation to achieve military goals.

She urged to remain calm, trust only official sources of information and follow their recommendations.

As Ukrinform reported, on March 4, 2022, Russians seized the ZNPP.

On June 22, 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Russia’s plans to stage a terrorist attack at the plant.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine was carefully preparing for any scenario around Zaporizhzhia NPP.

On June 30, the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate reported that the Russian contingent was gradually leaving the plant.

At the end of June, large-scale exercises were held in Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro regions to train emergency services to overcome the consequences of a possible terrorist attack at ZNPP.

On July 4, the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially warned of a possible provocation at Zaporizhzhia NPP by Russian invaders.