Ukrainian Sabotage Group Plotted Attack at ZNPP During IAEA Visit: Regional Official

SIMFEROPOL (Sputnik) - A Ukrainian sabotage group was plotting a terrorist attack at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (NPP) during the visit of the IAEA expert mission to show that Russia is unable to provide security, Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the regional administration, said on Wednesday.

"According to preliminary data, the terrorist attack was being prepared during the visit of the IAEA delegation to show the situation is not under control and that Russia could not provide security," Rogov said.

Later, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow was doing everything to ensure the safety of the IAEA mission, which would inspect the Zaporozhye NPP,

"According to our information, the IAEA team is on the way, everything necessary is being done by the Russian side, and even more ... Everything is being done to ensure that the IAEA mission to the Zaporozhye NPP, planned a few months ago and headed by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, finally takes place, is safe and fulfills all its tasks," Zakharova told journalists at a briefing.

The spokeswoman added that the objective of the mission is a technical inspection, however the presence of Grossi could bring sense to the Ukrainian side and stimulate them to stop the shelling of the NPP.

The Zaporozhye NPP, located on the left bank of the Dnieper River, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and output. During the military operation in Ukraine, launched by Russia on February 24, the nuclear plant and surrounding area fell under the control by the Russian forces. The NPP has recently been targeted by multiple shelling, raising international concerns over a possible nuclear accident. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the shelling incidents.