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Russia warned that kyiv is preparing an attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant during the visit to Ukraine of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres. The politician meets this August 17 in Lviv with Volodímir Zelenski, Ukrainian president, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish president. The international community views with concern the recent attacks on the Zaporizhia plant, fearing that a nuclear accident could happen.
The eyes of the world are once again on Ukraine. The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, is in the country to try to reduce tensions around the Zaporizhia nuclear plant, occupied by the Russians since March this year, and to try to reopen the paths of dialogue between the two parts of the war that has already lasted more than five months.
In turn, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also about to visit Ukraine for the first time since the invasion began in February 2022, as a potential political mediator, in addition to negotiating an acceleration of Ukrainian grain exports.
From the Ukrainian intelligence services, they assured that they are prepared for “different scenarios” in case an attack occurs during the visits. Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the department, recalled that Russia has already carried out “provocations, artillery shelling and air strikes” during other diplomatic visits.
However, the meeting, first bilateral between Erdogan and Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian president, and then three-way with Guterres, will take place in Lviv, one of the main cities in the west of the country, relatively far from hostilities.
Ukraine prepares a “provocation” in Zaporizhia, according to Moscow
Despite the distance, the noise of the front line has been heard this August 17. Russia warned that Ukraine is preparing a “resounding provocation” in Zaporizhia, the center of attention in recent weeks and the scene of crossed accusations between kyiv and Moscow.
“On August 19, the kyiv regime is planning a resounding provocation at the Zaporizhia NPP during the visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to Ukraine,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman General Igor Konashenkov said.
According to the military, it would be a false flag attack to later “accuse the Russian Federation of causing a catastrophe at the power plant.”
Russia and Ukraine have been pointing fingers at each other for weeks about attacks and bombings on Zaporizhia, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and the third largest in the world. The international community views these hostilities in the region with growing concern, fearing that a nuclear accident could happen.
Russian authorities have warned that they are considering closing the plant if the attacks continue.
Zaporizhia generates a fifth of Ukraine’s power and is still currently operated by Ukrainian workers even though it is controlled by Moscow.
The Ukrainian Army continues to denounce that Russian forces use the plant to launch attacks on nearby cities and recalled that the “simplest” solution is for Russian troops to withdraw from the plant.
Kharkiv bombings leave 11 dead
New bombing in the Kharkiv region also reminded the diplomatic missions of Guterres and Erdogan in Lviv that the war is still alive.
The Russian Army attacked the regional capital, completely destroying a three-story building, killing seven people and injuring 17.
Another attack fell on the city of Krasnohrad, where rescue efforts are still active. So far, two people have been reported dead.
Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Military Administration of the Kharkiv region, lamented that the night was “one of the most tragic for the province (…) since the beginning of the war.”
With EFE, Reuters and AP
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