--- title: "Ukraine Accuses Russia of Planting Explosives on Roof of Nuclear Power Plant" description: "Ukraine has accused Russia of placing explosive devices on the roof of one of its power plants — but the finger-pointing doesn't end there." date: "2023-07-07" modified: "2023-07-07" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/ukraine-russia-nuclear-plant-explosives" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "nuclear plant" - "Russia" - "the digest" - "ukraine" --- # Ukraine Accuses Russia of Planting Explosives on Roof of Nuclear Power Plant ![Ukraine has accused Russia of placing explosive devices on the roof of one of its power plants — but the finger-pointing doesn't end there.]() *\Image: Andriy Andriyenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images\* ## Explosive Accusations Ukraine has accused Russia of placing mysterious objects that look like bombs on the roof of one of its power plants — but the finger-pointing doesn't end there. As [*The Guardian* reported]() earlier this week, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that his country's intelligence officials have found evidence of "objects resembling explosives" on the roof of the Zaporizhzhia power plant in southeastern Ukraine. It's hard to make sense of these accusations as they raise more questions than they can answer. The [*Washington Post*]() reports that Russia is also blaming Ukraine, saying that the country's military may "sabotage" the nuclear plant. We don't even know if there are any explosives to begin with. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in its [own statement]() that it hasn't seen any evidence of explosives at the plant, though it would need greater access to be sure. ## No You In short, it's the kind of confusing finger-point that has become a commonplace fixture of the ongoing conflict. This latest installment of the now 18-month-long Russian invasion of Ukraine is not without precedent, with the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant having been in the news [multiple]() [times]() over the past year. The station was first seized by Russian troops in February 2022, leading to countless accusations and finger-pointing between the two countries. ## Dam Break Ukrainian officials are now saying that there's an increased chance of radiation accidentally being released from the plant since the dam in Kakhovka, a Russian-controlled part of southern Ukraine, collapsed last month, forcing the plant to [shut down its last remaining reactor](). Both countries have [blamed the dam's explosion on the other](), though the [*New York Times*]() and [other outlets]() have published compelling evidence suggesting that it was carried out by the Kremlin. As *The Guardian* notes, neither Russia nor Ukraine have offered much in the way of evidence as to their latest explosive allegations. An expert analysis [by the Institute for the Study of War](), meanwhile, suggests that Russia is "unlikely" to actually sabotage the plant and that it instead may be accusing Kyiv of orchestrating a propaganda maneuver ahead of the [upcoming NATO leaders' summit in Lithuania](). At the end of the day, it appears that Zaporizhizhia is the site of a proxy battle between invader and the invaded — a chilling blame game that neither side is likely to win. **More on Zaporizhizhia:** [*Ukraine Accuses Russia of Using Inflatable "Dummy Tanks," Which Deflated*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()