Russia falsely claims Ukrainian attack on Kursk nuclear power plant

Military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko writes on Telegram.

According to him, some reports say M142 HIMARS rocket artillery hit the town of Kurchatov, while others claim a French HAMMER bomb was involved, with conflicting reports on whether it was intercepted.

The expert points out an interesting claim: Russian air defenses allegedly shot down an aerial bomb. He notes that this is improbable, especially since Russian Su-34 jets frequently fly in the area, launching KABs toward Ukrainian-held regions of Kursk. Kovalenko highlights the recurring danger of these Russian bombs hitting their own cities.

Kursk regional leader Alexey Smirnov issued a statement saying a Ukrainian UAV was shot down over Kurchatov, and debris caused explosions in a nearby utility building. Notably, no evidence was presented to support the claim that the drone was Ukrainian.

According to Kovalenko, the Russian leadership is likely to exploit this wave of panic. He suggests they might stage provocations around the Kursk NPP to keep the population anxious, much like their activities at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. These efforts, he believes, are part of a broader strategy to frame Ukraine as a terrorist state and block it from obtaining long-range Western missiles.

In conclusion, Kovalenko advises: “If you see something ‘Ukrainian’ in the sky, don’t shoot it down. Let it go where it needs to. Ukraine only targets military infrastructure, and claims to the contrary are absurd.”