MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Tuesday it had not placed any heavy weapons at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russian forces of using the nuclear facility, which Russia seized in the first days of the conflict, as a de facto weapons depot.
Fighting over the nuclear plant in the 10-month conflict has raised fears of a possible Chernobyl-style nuclear disaster, with Kyiv and Moscow accusing each other of behaving recklessly.
Both sides have accused each other of shelling the plant, which is Europe’s largest nuclear power station.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a call on Tuesday with reporters that Russia remains in contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is trying to broker a demilitarized zone around the power station.
“I want to remind you of the words of President Vladimir Putin: There hasn’t been – and aren’t – any heavy weapons at that power station. This can easily be confirmed by the IAEA staff who are there day and night,” Peskov said.
He was responding to earlier comments from French President Emmanuel Macron, who said an agreement had been reached on removing heavy weapons from the Zaporizhzhia power plant.
Macron said on Tuesday talks were ongoing over the “modalities” of how that could be achieved, adding that “the coming weeks will be crucial” to ensure the protection of the nuclear station.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Jake Cordell; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Alexander Smith)
