The Ukrainian president recently accused Russia of allegedly plotting a “terrorist attack” at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant
National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby speaks during a daily news briefing at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the White House on June 23, 2023 in Washington, DC. © Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images
The US cannot confirm the recent claim made by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that Moscow is plotting a “terrorist attack” at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has stated.
When asked to comment on Zelensky’s latest remarks during a press briefing in the White House on Friday, Kirby said at first that the US continued to “monitor some radiation sensors that are around the plant.” The official added that “thus far, we’ve detected no elevated levels of radioactivity.”
When pressed further by a reporter, the NSC spokesman clarified that while he had “seen those comments,” he did not “have anything to confirm them or speak to the validity of them.”
Commenting on Zelensky’s claim on Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described it as “yet another lie.”
He stressed that Russia has been in close contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and has been cooperating with its representatives at the facility.
Earlier on Thursday, Zelensky posted a message on his Telegram channel saying that Moscow was “considering a scenario of a terrorist attack at the Zaporozhye NPP.” He cited findings of the Ukrainian security forces and its sources in the Russian capital.
While not providing any more details, the Ukrainian head of state added that his administration was “passing all available information to our partners – everyone in the world.”
Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of shelling the plant, which has been under Moscow’s control since March 2022. Located in Zaporozhye Region, which officially became part of Russia last September, the facility is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and is currently operated by Rosatom.
