Moscow (Web Desk): Russia’s Defence Ministry on Saturday said that Ukrainian forces attempted to capture the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in an attack on the facility on Friday night.
The ministry, during the daily briefing, said a Ukrainian naval force of more than 250 troops attempted to land on the coast of a lake near the Zaporizhzhia plant in southern Ukraine at around 11pm local time (2000 GMT) on Friday.
“Despite the presence of representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the Kyiv regime once again attempted to seize the plant,” the defence ministry said.
Russia said its forces foiled the attack with strikes from military helicopters and fighter jets, destroying 20 Ukrainian vessels and causing others to scatter and call off the attack.
Kyiv and Moscow have traded accusations about attacks on the power plant, Europe's largest nuclear energy station, in recent months.
The plant was captured by Russian forces in March, but is connected to the Ukrainian power grid and is still operated by Ukrainian staff.