"He is ready for anything": Putin's next target revealed?

After the destruction of Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine, Russia could plan an attack on nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, claims a senior Ukrainian official.

"He is ready for anything": Putin's next target revealed?

After the destruction of Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine, Russia could plan an attack on nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, claims a senior Ukrainian official.

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Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of destroying the Nova Kakhovka dam, which had disastrous consequences in the Kherson region.

"The destruction of one of the largest water reservoirs in Ukraine was certainly intentional. Hundreds of thousands of people were left without access to drinking water," he said.

Oleksiy Danilov, a senior Ukrainian security official, did not shy away from accusations against Russia, who called the demolition of the dam "a new phase of Russian aggression" and warned in an interview with The Times that the nearby Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant could be the next target of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The mentioned power plant has been under Russian control since the beginning of the war and the cooling of its reactors depends on the water coming from the reservoir.

"The fact is that there are explosives there," Danilov said, adding that Putin is "ready for anything" after destroying the hydroelectric plant along with the dam.

During the war, Zaporizhzhia suffered numerous strikes, which is why there is a fear of a nuclear disaster. Last year, a missile hit one of its reactors, which Ukraine and Russia blamed on each other. Russian forces are also accused of turning the factory into a military base where they are safe from the Ukrainians.

Rafael Grossi, Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the destruction of the dam did not pose a short-term risk to Zaporizhzhia, but added that it worsened an already unpredictable and uncertain situation.