Shelling near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Could Lead to Widespread Radiation Contamination

Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed various aspects of the situation surrounding Ukraine in a telephone conversation. According to the Kremlin's press service, the call was initiated by the French side.

“Vladimir Putin emphasized, in particular, that the periodic shelling of the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by Ukrainian military personnel poses a great risk of a disaster that could lead to widespread radiation contamination,” the statement said.

It was noted that the presidents highlighted the importance of the prompt dispatch of an IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which would be able to assess the current situation on the ground. The Russian side has confirmed its readiness to provide necessary support to the agency's inspectors.

“Vladimir Putin also recalled the invitation sent to the UN Secretariat and experts from the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit the investigative isolation facility in Yelenovka, where a large number of Ukrainian prisoners of war have died as a result of a missile strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” the Kremlin reported.