Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Russia may stage a terror attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, he said on Saturday afternoon.
Zelensky made the comments to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during the latter's visit to Kyiv.
"We have been saying for a long time that there is a serious threat. Because Russia is technically ready to provoke a local explosion at the plant, which could lead to the release of dangerous substances into the air. We communicate this very clearly." Zelensky told journalists.
"We are discussing all this with our partners so that everyone understands why Russia is doing this and puts pressure on the Russian Federation politically so that they don't even think about such a thing,"
According to the Ukrainian president's office, this is due to Russia's need to compensate for battlefield failure through "terrorist" acts such as blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam last month.
Zelensky also said that the Russian strategy was to show that the war was not just dangerous for Ukraine but also for the whole world.
The Ukrainian president called for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to be returned to Ukrainian control so that independent authorities can perform checks. One authority suggested by the president is the International Atomic Energy Agency an independent organization inside the UN.
Ukrainians fear the plant being booby-trapped with mines and other types of explosives by Russian troops on their withdrawal. While the danger to troops entering the plant is clear, Zelensky is more afraid that Russia would destroy the plant after Ukraine had taken control and then blame Ukraine for the destruction.
Zelensky also commented on the promised F-16 fighter jets, that agreements had been made with a coalition of countries and that Ukrainian pilots were ready to begin training.
Ukraine is only waiting on a training schedule to be created, he said. "There is no schedule of training missions. I believe that some partners drag it out. I don't know why they are doing it," commented Zelensky.