Ukraine could launch a large-scale attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) overnight, a senior Russian atomic energy industry official warned late on Tuesday. Kyiv may also strike the plant with a missile stuffed with radioactive waste, he added.

“On July 5, literally overnight, while it’s still dark, Ukrainian forces will attempt an attack on the Zaporizhzhia plant with long-range high-precision munitions, as well as suicide drones,” he told Rossiya 24 TV channel.

The ZNPP was seized by Moscow from Ukraine early into the ongoing conflict, getting formally transferred under Rosatom management as the Zaporizhzhia region became incorporated into Russia after a referendum. Both Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of subjecting the Russian-controlled facility to artillery fire and drone strikes. –RT

The warning was voiced by Renat Karchaa, a senior aide to the head of Rosenergoatom, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned atomic energy giant Rosatom. The official cited intelligence data received by the industry.

These warnings are not new. Russia has long claimed that Ukraine will use a dirty bomb or a false flag attack (claiming Russia used a nuclear bomb) in the ongoing conflict.

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President Vladimir Zelensky said Moscow wanted to cause a “radiation leakage” at the plant, while his aide Mikhail Podoliak accused Russia of placing mines in the plant’s cooling pond. The rhetoric around this plant has been increasing lately. This is happening as the United States ruling class claims there is no “imminent” threat to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power plant.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has called the claims by Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials“yet another lie” coming from Kyiv, stressing that Moscow remains in close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

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The UN watchdog’s boss, Rafael Mariano Grossi, visited the facility recently and disputed Ukraine’s allegations, stating in his report that “no mines were observed at the site during the director general’s visit, including the cooling pond.” The danger to the ZNPP has also been questioned by the White House, with National Security Council spokesman John Kirby saying last week that Washington has not “seen any indication that that threat is imminent.” –RT

The war rhetoric is never-ending, but a “dirty bomb” or “nuclear incident” of any kind would be enough to ignite a worldwide conflagration that could result in a horrific global war.