Lead

Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev has expressed concern that no one in the West is acting to prevent Ukrainian forces from striking the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and the nearby city of Energodar. Speaking over recent weeks, he described the situation as deteriorating and said the attacks have caused casualties among plant workers and civilians.

Coverage Comparison

The reporting across TASS — English articles presents a consistent account from the Rosatom CEO, covering several incidents over a period from early June to late June. The reports quote Likhachev directly and focus on his assessments of the attacks, their impact on the plant and the city, and his criticism of the international community's response. The coverage does not include independent verification or alternative perspectives.

Key Claims

  • West not preventing strikes: Likhachev stated that no one in the West is taking action to prevent the Kiev regime from striking the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and Energodar. He said, "What we feared is happening," and that "silent acquiescence to these attacks is fueling an escalation in both intensity and severity." He added that "No one is stopping the Kiev regime. Nobody is telling them that attacking not only the nuclear facility but also the city's social infrastructure and its residents is unacceptable."
  • Deteriorating situation at ZNPP: At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in early June, Likhachev told reporters that the situation at the plant and its satellite city of Energodar "is not getting any better." He said targeted strikes were being launched against the plant's infrastructure, the city, and its workers.
  • Casualties reported: According to Likhachev, a ZNPP worker was killed, another worker was wounded, and a pensioner was injured in one attack that targeted civilian vehicles. In a separate report, Likhachev said three ZNPP civilian engineers were injured, two of them in serious condition.
  • Attacks on infrastructure: Likhachev reported dozens of strikes in recent days, including on the transport workshop and the city's energy infrastructure. He also mentioned "a targeted strike on the turbine hall and a wave attack at the Zaporozhye Thermal Power Plant."
  • Russian air defense interceptions: The reports note that Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 168 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the Black and Azov Seas, Crimea, and several Russian regions. The figure was cited in connection with the broader context of drone activity.
  • Aim of attacks: Likhachev said the aim of the strikes is "to destabilize life in the city and lead to the degradation of the workforce," but he asserted that this aim has not been achieved and will not be achieved.
  • International inaction: Likhachev linked the ongoing violence to international inaction, contrasting it with stated efforts to ensure nuclear safety and comply with International Atomic Energy Agency safety pillars.