MADRID, Nov 21 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky on Monday urged NATO members to ensure the protection of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants from possible Russian sabotage, a day after the Russian-controlled Zaporizhia nuclear power plant was targeted by artillery fire.
“All our countries have an interest in ensuring that there are no dangerous incidents in our nuclear facilities,” Volodimir Zelensky said in a video address broadcast to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Madrid.
“We all need guaranteed protection against Russian sabotage at nuclear facilities,” he added.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, located in southern Ukraine and controlled by Russia, was bombed on Saturday and Sunday.
Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the attacks on the plant, which is in Russian-controlled territory near the frontline.
Reuters was unable to independently verify responsibility for the weekend bombings.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, such attacks risk causing a major catastrophe.
Russia, for its part, said earlier Monday that the bombing of Zaporizhia could trigger a serious nuclear accident, reiterating its accusations that Ukrainian forces are responsible.
Volodimir Zelensky also asked the European Union to take new sanctions against Moscow because of a “policy of genocide”, with Russian forces bombing essential civilian infrastructure.
Russia denies having deliberately targeted civilians in Ukraine, but admits having carried out a campaign of strikes against infrastructure, in particular energy. (Report Belén Carreño and Inti Landauro, written by David Latona; French version Kate Entringer, edited by Sophie Louet)