"All Measures Being Taken To Counter Threat"

"Our intelligence says that the Russian military has placed objects resembling explosives on the roof of several power units of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant."

"[Russia is planning to] simulate an attack on the plant. Or they could have some other kind of scenario."

"But in any case, the world sees — and cannot fail to see — that the only source of danger to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is Russia. And no one else."

"Radiation is a threat to everyone in the world, and the nuclear plant must be fully protected from any radiation incidents."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

"The IAEA experts have requested additional access that is necessary to confirm the absence of mines or explosives."

"In particular, access to the rooftops of reactor units 3 and 4 is essential."

IAEA

"Operational data [suggests that] explosive devices [have been placed on the roof of Zaporizhzhia’s third and fourth reactors Tuesday, and that an attack is possible] in the near future."

"If detonated, they would not damage the reactors but would create an image of shelling from the Ukrainian side. [The Ukrainian army stands] ready to act under any circumstances."

Ukrainian military statement

Ukraine and Russia have traded accusations of plotting attacks at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

"[Ukraine plans to drop a] dirty bomb [containing nuclear waste taken from another of the country’s five nuclear stations on Zaporizhzhia.]"

"Under cover of darkness overnight on July 5, the Ukrainian military will try to attack the Zaporizhzhia station using long-range precision equipment and kamikaze attack drones."

Renat Karchaa, adviser, Rosenergoatom, Russia’s nuclear network

 

"The situation is quite tense because there is indeed a great threat of sabotage by the Kyiv regime, which could be catastrophic in its consequences."

"The Kyiv regime has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to do anything. Therefore, all measures are being taken to counter such a threat."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov

Fears are on the rise that Russia may be preparing to blow up Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, after five large objects were photographed on the roof. Satellite images taken by San Francisco-based Planet Labs on July 5 showed that packages had been placed on the roof of Reactor No. 4 of Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The objects cannot be identified, but the Ukrainian president has given warning Russia has plans to blow up the plant, then blame it on Ukraine.

The nuclear power plant has been under control of Russian forces from the first few days of the war forward. Its location on the southern bank of the Dnipro River forms the front line of the conflict. It was reported last week that Russian forces had given orders for Ukrainian staff to leave the plant. To the present, the International Atomic Energy Agency has been given permission to inspect some areas of the plant, but access is limited. Improved access to the sites and in particular to the reactors' roofs are now being demanded by the UN's nuclear watchdog.

 

New satellite images show unidentifiable shapes at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

 

Officials at the Russian nuclear agency Rosenergoatom, deny accusations. In their turn they have reversed the Ukrainian version, claiming that it is Ukrainian forces that are planning an attack on their own power plant. Each previously has accused the other of planning a "Red Flag" atrocity for propaganda purposes. They accused one another of blowing up the Kakhovka Dam in May, which caused emergency-level flooding of downstream towns and cities.

Experts downplay the fallout of an explosion at the Soviet-built Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant: "Its six reactors have been shut down for over ten months, and are no longer making enough heat to cause a prompt radiological release", according to the diagnosis of the American Nuclear Society. The plant's six pressurized water reactors, five of which are in "cold shutdown" where control rods are fully inserted, suppressing the fission chain reaction in the fuel, has lead to a timely cool-off.

The sixth reactor is in "hot shutdown", where enough heat to drive turbines is not being produced to make electricity as would happen during normal operation, a move by the Russians now operating the plant. The reactor, however, is kept hot enough to produce steam for other operations taking place at the plant and it is this reactor that will require more cooling water than the other five.

"It's like a conversation and I'm pushing to get as much access as possible. [There was] marginal improvement."

"I'm optimistic that we are going to be able to go up and see [the rooftops]."

"I'm pretty confident that we will get this authorization. This is a combat zone, it's an active warzone, so sometimes it may take a day or two to get authorization."

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Rafael Grossi 

Ukrainian officials have been holding anti-radiation drills in case of a nuclear catastrophe at the Zaporizhzhia plant.