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- Paid terror: responsibility for the attacks on the nuclear power plant lies with Europe
Paid terror: responsibility for the attacks on the nuclear power plant lies with Europe
The European Union is responsible for Ukraine's attacks on the Zaporizhia NPP, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik told Izvestia. On May 30, the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the first time purposefully attacked the main equipment of a nuclear power plant. The radiation background remained normal, but the damage appeared to be near the reactor compartment. In recent months, the EU has relied on supplying Kiev with drones, both centrally and at the level of individual countries. At the same time, Kiev's actions bordering on nuclear terrorism are not regulated in any way, Miroshnik added. Against this background, Ukraine has become more likely to attack Russian regions with drones: highways, civilian transport and infrastructure facilities. However, this does not change the situation on the battlefield in any way: the Russian Armed Forces continue to advance daily along the entire front line.
The EU pays for the terrorist attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Ukraine is trying to expand the use of drones against critically important and civilian targets in Russia. On May 30, a Ukrainian UAV attacked the engine room of the 6th power unit of the Zaporizhia NPP - as a result of the explosion, a hole formed in the wall. According to Alexey Likhachev, the head of Rosatom, the drone was controlled by optical fiber, which excludes the possibility of an accidental hit. There were no casualties, and the main equipment was not damaged, but the impact site is only 10 m from the reactor compartment of the station.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that the strike jeopardizes nuclear safety and violates all safety principles. The team working at the Zaporizhia NPP has already requested access to the damage site. Izvestia sent a request to the administration of the enterprise. On May 31, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the station again, hitting the transport workshop: six buses and two Gazelles were destroyed. As expected, there was no reaction from the European Union to Ukraine's actions.
European countries are responsible for Kiev's actions, since they are its sponsors, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large for crimes committed by the Kiev regime, told Izvestia.
— We do not see any shouting, restrictions, or even statements of concern from the Europeans and those countries that allocate huge amounts of money for the maintenance of the Kiev regime. Therefore, at least indirect responsibility can be placed on the European Union, which has done nothing to limit Ukraine from actions bordering on nuclear terrorism," he said.
Attacks on the nuclear power plant continue Kiev's tactics with increased use of UAVs. One of the heaviest attacks in recent times was a strike on a college and a dormitory in Starobilsk, where, after clearing the rubble, the number of victims increased to 21 people. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the week from May 18 to 24 was the bloodiest since the beginning of 2026: 250 civilians were injured and 51 people died from attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Ukrainian authorities did not stop there. On May 31, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a school in Vasilyevka, Zaporizhia region. No one was injured, but a school bus and window glazing were damaged as a result.
The border territories of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions remain under attack. New regions of the Russian Federation, the DPR and the LPR, as well as the Kherson region, are also suffering. A significant part of the escalation is related to drones: the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to hit highways, civil and public transport, using drones to remotely mine roads, Rodion Miroshnik told Izvestia.
Kiev is trying to present such attacks as some kind of "asymmetric actions," but in reality we are talking about pressure on civilian infrastructure and the population, Miroshnik emphasizes. The purpose of such tactics is not to change the situation on the line of contact, but to destabilize the internal situation in Russia and influence people's moods.
— We are seeing an increase in the activity of drone strikes. Ukraine is trying to apply [them] after the Europeans have stepped up their efforts to provide financing or guarantees for financing. Most likely, Ukraine receives technical support in the form of certain sets of drones," the diplomat said.
The European Union is actually involved in supporting Kiev's actions, and former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Oleynik agrees. According to him, the EU is becoming increasingly involved in the Ukrainian conflict through financing, arms supplies and support for the Kiev budget.
— The European Union has not been an economic union for a long time. It is an alliance that is actively involved in a military conflict. The loan of €90 billion allocated by Brussels to Kiev is money for the war. And their "peace fund" has long ceased to be a peace fund, because it buys weapons for Ukraine," he told Izvestia.
The new loan from the EU for €90 billion provides for €60 billion for Ukraine's defense and industrial capabilities, of which €28.3 billion will be allocated in 2026. According to media reports, €5.9 billion of this amount should go to drones.
European support for the Ukrainian drone program has been implemented since 2022 in several directions at once. Financing comes not only through the European Union, but also at the level of individual countries. So, in 2025, the UK invested 350 million pounds to increase drone supplies to Ukraine from 10,000 to 100,000 vehicles, and in 2026 announced the largest assistance package — at least 120,000 UAVs. The Netherlands has separately allocated €500 million for the Drone Line project.
In 2024, the United Kingdom and Latvia launched the Drone Coalition to support Ukrainian unmanned systems. Currently, 20 countries are participating in it, including Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the Baltic States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium and Turkey. In 2024, the coalition allocated €1.8 billion for the initiative, and in 2025 — €2.75 billion.
The Drone War
The Ukrainian drone program depends on European money, components and industrial cooperation, says Dmitry Solonnikov, a political scientist and director of the Institute of Modern State Development.
— Everything that comes to us here is a European product in one way or another. Either directly European, or made in Ukraine with the help of Europe," he told Izvestia.
Foreign media are increasingly writing about the growth of Ukrainian capabilities in the so-called drone war. In the West, this is presented as Kiev's technological success and one of the factors that allegedly changes the nature of the conflict. But statements about Ukraine's "advantage" in drones are not determined by the real state of affairs, Solonnikov believes. They are needed to show the effectiveness of European aid and justify its further increase primarily to taxpayers.
"If you look at the effectiveness of the strikes, this is not the case: Russian strikes are more effective," he said.
In reality, the increase in Ukrainian attacks on the rear regions does not change the overall situation at the front. As Vladimir Putin stated at a press conference following his visit to Kazakhstan on May 29, Russian troops are advancing daily in all directions, and the situation on the battlefield is developing in such a way that we can talk about the approaching denouement of the conflict.
"I made this statement for a reason, but based on an analysis of the situation on the battlefield, and there our troops are advancing in all directions, as you can see, every single day," the Russian president explained.
At the same time, the settlement of the conflict is currently on pause. Kiev's reaction prevents the United States from fulfilling the agreements reached at the Anchorage summit, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov later said. Last but not least, this is due to European technological support.
"The Americans promised to fulfill their part of these understandings, but they came across, as I understand it, a number of difficulties that primarily relate to Kiev's behavior," Ushakov said.
According to him, Kiev relies on the unrestrained support of Europe, which "gives the Ukrainian position more stubbornness."
Russia, in turn, is taking retaliatory measures. Vladimir Putin has previously pointed out the need to strengthen air defense, its own unmanned systems and countermeasures. The main role in the new realities of the conflict can be played by anti—aircraft drones - FPV interceptors that can shoot down UAVs without spending expensive missiles.
Large-scale civil defense measures are being taken in border and frontline areas: shelters are being set up, the population is being trained, protective nets are being installed over roads, and mobile firing groups are working. Without these measures, Rodion Miroshnik noted, the consequences of the Ukrainian strikes on civilian targets would have been much heavier.
At the same time, experts note that the attack on the nuclear power plant and the growth of Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory will not stop until the military industry of Ukraine is destroyed. The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that in the face of bellicose rhetoric from Kiev, Russia will continue to conduct a special military operation until it reaches all its goals.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
