DISINFO: Ukraine is bombing Zaporizhizhia nuclear power plant, afraid of the conclusions of the IAEA
SUMMARY
The Ukrainian army has been bombing Zaporizhizhia nuclear power plant for the few last weeks. It tried to launch an assault the plant but this attempt was prevented.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sent inspectors to the plant. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is afraid that their conclusions could be not in favour of Ukraine.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Ukraine attacking the Zaporizhzhia power plant. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.
This is not the first time the Kremlin’s manipulation and disinformation machine has used a deep-seated and very reasonable fear of a nuclear disaster to advance its political and military goals in Ukraine.
There have been an increasing number of reports that Russia uses the nuclear site as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident".
The Ukrainian authorities denied the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP) and accused Russia of dangerous actions that may cause a nuclear catastrophe.
Ukraine supports the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met IAEA Director General Mariano Grossi on 30 August 2022. Zelenskyy said“the Ukrainian side wants the IAEA mission headed by Director General Grossi to access Zaporizhzhia NPP and make every effort to avoid all the global threats“.
Read our article Playing with nuclear fire and the Ukraine-joint statement on the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
For background see disinformation targeting Ukraine.