MOSCOW, Aug 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with French counterpart Catherine Colonna on the expected visit of independent inspectors to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
They “discussed in detail the situation around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the opportunities available for organising a visit to the station by an IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) mission,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement following their phone call.
Lavrov said that Ukraine “continues to shell the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and the territory adjacent to it, exposes the entire European population to the danger of a nuclear catastrophe”, it added.
Recent fighting around it has raised concerns of a nuclear incident comparable to Chernobyl, with Kyiv and Moscow accusing each other of targeting the plant in strikes.
Last week presidents Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron called for an independent inspection at the atomic plant that was seized by Russia in March in the early days of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the UN to secure the site.
Meanwhile, Washington warned that Russia could attack Ukrainian government facilities in the coming days as Moscow said it would show “no mercy” over an assassination it has blamed on Ukraine.
The US embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert and reiterated its appeal for US nationals to leave Ukraine.
“The Department of State has information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days,” it said.
There is mounting concern after Russia accused Ukrainian intelligence of being behind the assassination of the daughter of a prominent ultranationalist intellectual in Moscow on Saturday.
“The investigation will hopefully be completed soon,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow.
“According to the results of this investigation, there can be no mercy for those who organised, ordered and carried out (the car bombing),” he said.
Ukraine has denied any involvement. — NNN-AGENCIES
