Moscow: Russia and Ukraine exchanged accusations on Wednesday regarding the violation of a 30-day ceasefire agreement on strikes against each other's energy facilities. This development follows the United States' announcement on Tuesday of separate agreements with both nations to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and halt attacks on energy infrastructure for a month. These agreements were reached during talks in Saudi Arabia's capital.
According to Anadolu Agency, both Moscow and Kyiv confirmed the agreements, but the Kremlin noted that their implementation is contingent upon the lifting of certain restrictions and sanctions on Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that it shot down several Ukrainian drones targeting energy infrastructure overnight in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, as well as in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. The ministry accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the agreements made with the United States.
Ukraine's General Staff refuted the Russian Defense Ministry's claims, stating that Moscow's allegations were not based on reality. They accused Russia of spreading false accusations to prolong the conflict. The exchange of accusations came after Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn alleged that Russia had struck energy facilities eight times since March 18. Lytvyn emphasized the need for double-checking Russian statements with international partners due to their history of deceit.
Further escalating tensions, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi reported damage to a diesel reservoir at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which could have compromised the station's emergency power supply. Tykhyi criticized Russia for mismanaging the plant by replacing qualified Ukrainian experts with unqualified Russian operatives. Yuri Chernichuk, the Russian-appointed head of the plant, dismissed Tykhyi's claims as "false" on Telegram.
The situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest, remains precarious with ongoing concerns about a potential nuclear disaster. Both Moscow and Kyiv have frequently accused each other of attacks around the facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has maintained a presence at the plant since September 2022, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.