Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said this in an exclusive interview with Espreso TV channel.
Commenting on the situation at Zaporizhzhia NPP, Yusov noted that the latest escalation followed the Russians' blowing up of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant and dam. Then the invaders carried out additional work to mine the facilities on the territory of the plant, including the cooling pool. In addition, the Russian Federation imported explosives and carried out mining operations at ZNPP last year.
"But after the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, everything intensified. These and other factors pointed to the Russians preparing a scenario of another terrorist attack and man-made disaster. However, lately (the interview was recorded on July 14 - Ed.) there are signs that the threat of this particular scenario has now been postponed," Yusov said.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine representative emphasized that as long as ZNPP and other Ukrainian facilities are under Russian control, the danger remains. The threat can be completely eliminated only by returning all Russian-occupied facilities to Ukraine's control.
"But we must understand that as long as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the Crimean Titan plant, other critical infrastructure and hazardous production facilities are in the hands of the invaders, the danger remains. And only the liberation of these territories and these facilities, the return of control to the legitimate Ukrainian authorities will ensure compliance with all necessary safety standards, unrestricted access of international experts and specialists (in the case of ZNPP, this is the IAEA) and compliance with all standards," he said.
Answering a question about the American Nuclear Society's forecast, in which experts said that even in the worst-case scenario, a Russian sabotage or terrorist attack at the plant, there would be no repeat of either Chornobyl or Fukushima, Yusov said that for those people living in Ukraine, especially near the plant, any incident would be perceived as a catastrophe.
"Of course, different scenarios have already been worked out. I think it's easier to think from distant offices whether it's Chernobyl or not. But for those people who live in Ukraine, closer to Zaporizhzhia, any incident related to the nuclear power plant will be perceived as a major disaster and tragedy. And, of course, we have to do everything to prevent this, to liberate the plant and other territories," the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine representative emphasized.
In his opinion, Russia's main goal is to blackmail Ukraine and the international community.
"But the task of the Russians and Putin is primarily to blackmail. Because if something happens, there will no longer be a subject of blackmail. And then what to do? How do we continue to try to stop the Ukrainian security and defense forces from further active actions? Or how do we continue to convince the world or those governments that continue to have contacts with Putin's Russia that they need to maintain these contacts?" Yusov added.
Russian troops occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP in late February 2022. Since then, personnel and military equipment have been permanently stationed there, which the invading forces store in the machine rooms and from time to time bring to positions to shell the territories of the Nikopol district, Dnipropetrovsk region, located on the other side of the Kakhovka reservoir.
An IAEA monitoring mission is working there to ensure that the plant is not used as a military base, that the plant is not attacked or fired upon, and that external power supplies are not interrupted. However, blackouts at the NPP occur constantly. Since last year, Russian troops have started bringing explosives to ZNPP.
In May 2023, Russian forces had placed explosives in the turbine room of the fourth power unit of the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP. They also almost completely destroyed the emergency preparedness and response system at the nuclear power plant.
On June 22, IAEA Director General Grossi said after visiting ZNPP that the situation there was extremely unstable. On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that intelligence had received information that Russia was considering a scenario of a terrorist attack on the temporarily occupied ZNPP that would cause a radiation release. He also emphasized that the world has enough power to prevent any radiation incidents - it needs to put pressure and act.
The head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Russia has completed preparations for a terrorist attack on the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
On June 30, the Main Intelligence Directorate reported that the occupying Russian forces were gradually leaving the ZNPP, and that Ukrainian employees who had signed a contract with Rosatom also received evacuation recommendations. In addition, the plant's staff received an order to blame Ukraine in any emergency situation.
At night, on July 4, Zaporizhzhia NPP lost power from the main power line, and the plant was connected to the only available backup line. Later, the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially reported that the occupiers were preparing a provocation at ZNPP: the Russians had placed suspicious devices similar to explosives on the roof of power units 3 and 4.
On July 5, during a meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, the European Union made a statement that Russia must immediately stop actions that threaten the safety of nuclear facilities and withdraw its troops from Ukraine. At the same time, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that the agency had not detected any signs of mining at ZNPP. According to him, despite this, experts are "extremely wary". Subsequently, satellite images from Planet Labs, taken on the morning of July 5, appeared, showing the appearance of unknown objects on the roof of the fourth power unit of the ZNPP. The General Staff had previously reported that this particular power unit had been mined.
At the same time, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, said on July 6 that the threat of a terrorist attack at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was decreasing. However, the president of Ukraine's state-run nuclear company, Energoatom, later said that about 700 Russians were currently at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The plant is mined, and machine gun nests are placed on the roofs of the power units.
On July 7, the United States in the OSCE called on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from ZNPP and return it to Ukrainian control, as it was concerned about reports of Russia's mining of the plant and plans for a "false flag" operation. Also on July 7, the IAEA reported that its mission was able to inspect several facilities at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, except for the roof, but found no signs of explosives.
The territory of the occupied ZNPP was also visited by the first deputy head of Putin's administration, Sergey Kiriyenko. The visit took place against the backdrop of the publication of information about the occupiers' mining of ZNPP.
Instead, Ukrainian intelligence noted that the occupiers continue to mine ZNPP and facilities on the plant's territory. They are installing explosives and minefields. The Ministry of Defense emphasized that the enemy was mining technical rooms and machine rooms.
On July 14, it became known that about 500 Russian military and Rosatom employees were currently at ZNPP, and that they were using the plant to shell Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions. Later, Energoatom President Petro Kotin said that the Russians continue to mine ZNPP. The occupiers also use the plant as their military base.
On July 19, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine warned that Russia was planning another armed provocation on the territory of ZNPP "under a false flag".
On July 20, Energoatom reports that Russia wants to launch the fourth power unit of ZNPP, but Ukrainian personnel refuse to follow the order of the illegitimate management of the plant.