Russian media write that the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Budanov, in an October interview with NV, said that “Ukraine is bombing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant” and “wants to arrange a nuclear Armageddon” to blackmail the whole world. The material mentions attempts by the Ukrainian military to de-occupy territories and strategic objects illegally seized by the Russians, such as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. This is manipulation.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the StopFake project. In the NV media material, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and his work colleagues shared details of some special military intelligence operations. The Ukrainian armed forces landed three times on the left bank of the Dnipro near Enerhodar to create a springboard for the de-occupation of the city and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Despite the fact that the operations were unsuccessful, that is, the desired result was not achieved, the Ukrainian military managed to at least thwart Russia’s plans to connect the Zaporizhzhia NPP to its energy system.

Representatives of Ukrainian intelligence did not make any “admissions” that Ukraine allegedly “bombed” the station. By trying to dislodge the occupiers, Ukraine is not committing a crime, but is using its legitimate right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. Russia regularly creates crisis situations at Zaporizhzhia NPP, each of which carries the threat of a large-scale accident.

Previously, for example, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense denied Russian disinformation about Ukraine’s alleged plans to attack the Zaporizhzhia NPP with drones.