Russia calls on US and EU 'to force Ukraine to stop shelling' Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant

Russia, on Monday, called on the United States, the European Union and other countries to stop the 'intrigues' around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and force Kyiv to stop shelling the plant, according to Russian news agency TASS. 

The Director of the Information and Press Department of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, said, "We strongly urge Washington, Brussels and other capitals, primarily European ones, to stop irresponsible games and intrigues around the ZNPP and immediately influence the Kyiv authorities to force them to stop shelling the plant and its adjacent territories."

"EU delegation to international organisations in Vienna issued a joint statement by a number of countries, which became a biased informational stuffing about the threats to the nuclear and physical security of ZNPP," Zakharova was quoted by TASS as saying. She further added that it is indisputable that the strikes on the station and Energodar, a city in the north-western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, are carried out by Ukrainian armed groups on orders from Kyiv. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine on Sunday accused Russian forces of shelling near the Zaporizhzhia plant, while Russian officials, on the other hand, denied the allegations. The Ukrainian mayor said that those risks are "increasing every day" at the nuclear power plant in the Russian-occupied city that has seen shelling in nearby areas in recent days. 

EU, other nations urge Russian Forces to pull out from Zaporizhzhia 

While both Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of carrying out shelling attacks around the nuclear plant, at least 42 countries, including the EU on Sunday asked Russia to withdraw its troops from the Zaporizhzhia NPP in view that the war near the facility could lead to safety hazards and disrupt the safe operation of the nuclear plant. It was also asserted that the fight in the vicinity of the ZNPP is not only a gross violation of international law and the UN Charter, but also endangers the principles of nuclear safety. 

The countries have also appealed to the Russian military forces to withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia NPP as it is obstructing the operator from carrying out essential safety operations of the plant.