MoD: Kiev Sought to Frame Russia for Radioactive Contamination at Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant - Sputnik International

Russian forces have taken control over the city of Energodar where Europe's biggest nuclear power plant is located, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

The fire was the result of a provocation by Kiev aimed at accusing Russia of creating a hotbed of radioactive contamination, the ministry added.

"The purpose of the provocation by the Kiev regime at the nuclear facility is an attempt to accuse Russia of creating a source of radioactive contamination. All this testifies to the criminal intent of the Kiev regime or Zelensky's complete loss of control over the actions of Ukrainian sabotage groups with the participation of foreign mercenaries", Konashenkov said.

According to Russian MoD spokesman Igor Konashenkov, at around 2 a.m. local time, a group of Russian National Guard officers patrolling the territory around the NPP were attacked by Ukrainian saboteurs who opened fire from the building of the station's training centre. Russian forces fired back and destroyed the saboteurs' combat bases. As they were leaving the building, the Ukrainian sabotage group set the building on fire.

Konashenkov added that the radiation level is normal following the incident. The NPP's staff continues to work as normal and is monitoring radiation levels.

The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed there was no radiation release as a result of the incident, the safety systems of six reactors at the Zaporozhskaya NPP were not affected by the fire.