Russians threaten to blow up nuclear plant if Ukraine advances - Energoatom

Ukraine's state nuclear agency Energoatom said that Russians placed explosive mines in Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Enerhodar and threaten to blow it up.

"Here will be either Russian land or a desert. The nuclear power plant will be either Russian or no one's," Russian garrison commander at the plant, Russia's radiation head, chemical and biological forces major-general Valeriy Vasiliev said in a statement, which was later deleted, according to the report of Energoatom.

"As you know, we have planted mines in all the important facilities of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. And we do not hide this from the enemy. We warned them. The enemy knows that the plant will be either Russian – or no one's. We are ready for the consequences of this step. And you, warriors-liberators should understand that there is no other option. And in case of receiving the most severe order, we must fulfill it with honor!" Vasiliev is said to have stated.

He was addressing his statement to the Russian occupiers whom Russian propaganda calls liberators.

It was not possible to immediately confirm whether the statement indeed belongs to Vasiliev or find its original place of publication.

The representative of the press service of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defence Andriy Yusov had reported earlier that the department had confirmed about the Russian troops mining the power units in the Zaporizhzhia power plant.