KYIV. UkraineGate .22 . November .2022 | Society .
Russia uses the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in its information campaign aimed at undermining Western support for Ukraine, achieving full administrative control over the station, and acting as a guarantor of preventing a nuclear disaster. This was reported by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) .
Details
As noted, the shelling on November 20 and 21 caused significant damage to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Analysts reported that one Russian blogger, citing a video taken by Chechen forces, said they appeared to have been shelling from Russian-controlled territory south of the ZNPP, rather than from Ukrainian-controlled territory north of ZNPP.
ISW has previously written that Russian troops organized attacks on ZNPP under a false flag.
As reported, artillery strikes are unlikely to break through the protective shell of a nuclear reactor, but pose a great threat to spent nuclear fuel storage facilities, which can lead to the leakage of radioactive materials and cause a radiological catastrophe in case of compromise.
Citation
“The ongoing mixing of radiological and nuclear accidents and the ongoing discussion of the threat of a ZNPP disaster are likely part of Russia’s information operation aimed at undermining Western support for Ukraine and presenting Russian control of the station as necessary to prevent a nuclear disaster in the future, to strengthen further operational and administrative control over Ukrainian nuclear assets and to force elements of the international community to at least indirectly recognize Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory,” the message says.
Recall
On November 20, as a result of enemy shelling of Zaporizhzhia NPP, the equipment necessary for the launch of power units 5 and 6, which supply electricity for Ukraine’s needs, was disabled.
The IAEA said it had not found critical damage at the station. These attacks, as noted, became perhaps the strongest since the beginning of a full-scale war.
Source: Ukrgate
