Russian troops target Zaporizhia nuclear power plant 12 times

Energoatom reports on Telegram.

As a result of morning and evening Russian shelling of ZNPP, communication overpasses with special corps, chemical desalinated water storage tanks, steam generator purge system, auxiliary systems of one of the two general station diesel engines and other infrastructure of the station were damaged.

There is also information about three strikes in "Rainduga" station, the condition of facility is currently being investigated by specialists.

"List of damaged equipment of ZNPP shows that Russian forces targeted and disabled exactly the infrastructure that was necessary for start-up of power units 5 and 6 and restoration of electricity production by Zaporizhzhia NPP for the needs of Ukraine", energy company emphasizes.

Press service reminds: State Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission granted Energy Agency permission to bring power units 5 and 6 to the minimum controlled power level.  This decision was made to get a pair.  According to Energoatom, it is "critically necessary in winter period to ensure safety of power units, personnel, population and environment."

However, according to Energoatom NAEC, Russian occupying forces at the station did not allow Ukrainian personnel to start power units. Oleg Romanenko, appointed by Rosatom as "director" of ZNPP, blocked these measures.

"However, this was not enough for them, and today Russian troops shelled and damaged equipment, failure of which makes it impossible to take any further actions regarding the start-up of power units of ZNPP", Energoatom informs.

On November 20, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi made a statement regarding situation at ZNPP:

"News from our team yesterday and this morning is extremely disturbing. There have been explosions on the site of this large nuclear power plant, which is completely unacceptable. Whoever is behind this must be stopped immediately. As I have said many times, this is playing with fire!", Grossi said.

Text of the press service also says that none of Russian strikes on the station are critical for nuclear safety. There are no reports of casualties from station management, and IAEA experts are in close contact with facility management and will continue to assess situation and report on it.