US warns Russia against causing second Chernobyl at Ukraine nuke plant

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration urged Russia Friday to surrender Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and avoid a potential reprise of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster — amid speculation that Moscow is considering shelling the facility in a “false flag” operation.

Russian forces have held the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant since March. Recently, the plant has served as a base for several Russian artillery units that have kept up constant fire on the nearby Ukrainian front lines.

“We are very concerned about military operations at or near any of Ukraine’s nuclear power facilities,” a senior US defense official said Friday. “We’ve been very clear that fighting near a nuclear power plant is dangerous is irresponsible, and we want the fighters and Russia to operate with extreme caution and conduct no actions that would result in a potential radiological release.”

Tensions grew earlier Friday as Russia’s state nuclear agency announced an unplanned day off at the plant, sparked fears of a bombardment that would be blamed on Ukrainian fighters.

Russia and Ukraine have previously traded blame for earlier shelling at the facility. On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin again claimed in a phone call with French President Emanuel Macron that Ukraine was shelling the plant – which Putin warned could cause a “large-scale catastrophe that could lead to radioactive contamination of large territories.”