Russia accuses Ukraine of trying to take back Zaporiyia nuclear power plant

Latest news on the war pitting Russia and Ukraine.

The Russian government has assured this Saturday that the Ukrainian forces have tried to regain by force this early morning the control of the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant, controlled by the Russian troops since the beginning of March. There were 47 dead, including ten “foreign mercenaries”, and 23 wounded, according to Moscow.

The Russian Defense Ministry has denounced an amphibious attack on the facility although a spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, has explained that the assault was repelled, according to the Interfax news agency.

“On September 2 at about 23:00 Moscow time, two groups of boats and motorboats with a total of 42 units and a landing force of more than 250 people from the special operations forces and foreign mercenaries attempted to land on the coast of the Kakhovka reserve in the Energodar and Dneprorudni regions,” Konashenkov said.

The response was given by “four Su-30 (fighter-bombers) and two Ka-52 helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces” and “as a result 20 vessels were destroyed.”

The rest of the vessels turned around and returned in the direction of the Ukrainian coast. “Russian artillery with high-powered Malka howitzers attacked the Ukrainian coast at Vishetarasovka and Chervonodneprovka, where the remnants of the landing force arrived,” according to Konashenkov, who has blamed the “Kiev regime” for this attempt launched despite the presence of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) personnel at the plant.

Moscow and Kiev are constantly reproaching each other for the alleged activity of both sides in the areas surrounding the Zaporiyia power plant. The IAEA this week found evidence of attacks on the facility.