Europe equally responsible for striking Zaporozhye NPP as Kiev — analyst

Europe equally responsible for striking Zaporozhye NPP as Kiev — analyst According to Scott Ritter, European countries need Ukraine to justify their continued existenceMELITOPOL, June 24. /TASS/. European leaders bear no less responsibility for the attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) than Vladimir Zelensky, as they are active participants in the decision-making process regarding strikes against the power plant, former US Marine Corps intelligence analyst Scott Ritter told TASS. "Europeans and [Vladimir] Zelensky are the same. Europe isn’t directing Zelensky, Europe has absorbed Zelensky, Zelensky is part of Europe. They need Zelensky. They need Ukraine to justify their continued existence. So, it’s one and the same. I hold Europe to the same level of accountability that I hold Zelensky. They are active participants in the decision to strike the [Zaporozhye] Nuclear Power Plant," Ritter said, answering the question why European leaders do not stop Kiev’s attacks while understanding possible consequences of the radiation accident at the ZNPP. At the same time, the US, as well as Europe, is fully aware of what can happen as a result of strikes by the Ukrainian military on the nuclear power plant, the analyst noted. "We know that in the United States we had the Three Mile Island incident [in 1979] and we also had other nuclear accidents. And we’re fully aware of the consequences of civilian nuclear power plant’s suffering a catastrophic accident, and the potential spread of radiation. So, you can’t claim that the United States is ignorant of the consequences of doing damage to the safety mechanisms of a nuclear power plant. And yet, Ukrainian government strikes the Zaporozhye plant on a daily basis," Ritter said. He emphasized that Ukrainian military strikes on the ZNPP "is proof that the United States is, at best, ambivalent about it, at worst, directing these strikes. I don’t know why." Ritter added that striking the nuclear plant is "against the law," and international law "makes it very clear: you cannot strike a nuclear power plant, there is no exception." In the last couple of months, Ukrainian forces have significantly intensified shelling in the area of the ZNPP and its satellite city of Energodar. Since the beginning of the year, two power plant workers died and six more were injured. On May 30, a Ukrainian fiber-optic combat drone struck the machine hall of Power Unit No. 6 at the plant. The adversary has repeatedly struck the plant’s transport depot and buses transporting plant workers, as well as the infrastructure of the station and Energodar, where plant workers’ families live. Thus, Kiev is trying to destabilize the situation and intensify psychological pressure on staff, the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant press service said. US carries out successful test of Golden Dome missile system — top defense officialAccording to Pete Hegseth, during the test, "cutting edge directed energy was harnessed and the Dynamic Defense Autonomous Defeat system flawlessly and autonomously cued, targeted, and eliminated a multitude of incoming threats"Read moreArgentina’s Messi says goals record great, but happier about advancing at World CupLionel Messi is now the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, boasting 18 goals after breaking his tie with German forward Miroslav KloseRead moreTwo US nuclear submarines ‘closer to Russia,’ Trump says"We always want to be ready", US president addedRead moreTrust in Trump expressed by an average of 23% of respondents in 36 countries — pollAccording to data provided by the Pew Research Center, an average of 57% of respondents expressed a positive attitude towards the USRead moreUS’ new sanctions have nothing to do with supporting Cuban people — diplomatUN Permanent Representative Ernesto Soberon Guzman says sanctions only exacerbate the humanitarian consequences of the economic pressure on the countryRead moreSevastopol temporarily left without power due to attack on its energy infrastructureA special regime has been declared at the facilities, Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev saidRead morePilot of F-15 downed over Iran reported seeing jellyfish-like group of drones — CNNThe TV channel's sources note that US intelligence had no previous knowledge of Iran's possession of this technologyRead moreSteps to counter threats, Kiev's attempts to upend energy sector: Putin's commentsThe Russian president instructed the government and the Defense Ministry to minimize the impact of the Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructureRead more'Signs of shift' in US position on Anchorage, dialogue on Ukraine: Ryabkov’s statementsAccording to the Russian diplomat, Moscow remains committed to the understandings reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump in AlaskaRead moreIsraeli forces open fire at Hezbollah fighters in buffer zone in southern Lebanon — armyFour Hezbollah members riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle crossed into the security zone and approached the IDF soldiersRead moreHezbollah Secretary General says Israel 'has only one way out' in Lebanon, must withdrawAccording to Sheikh Naim Qassem, the Israeli evacuation would allow the Lebanese army to deploy in the southern regions, facilitate the return of displaced persons, and enable reconstructionRead morePharmaceutical companies leave Ukraine — Russian security forcesAccording to the source, the Ukrainian biotechnology company Biopharma intends to launch an 85 million euro production facility in Arad, Romania by the end of 2027Read moreEU preparing for possible energy supply crisis due to conflict in Iran — Spanish newspaperThe EC assures that there is currently no risk to supplies, though markets are feeling the impact of rising Brent crude oil prices, which has led to higher gas and oil prices in EuropeRead moreWest’s preparations for war with Russia, its readiness to respond: Putin's commentsThe leadership of NATO countries and the European Union uses false statements about the alleged Russian threat to increase their military budgets, the Russian leader notedRead moreDeutsche Bahn suspends train service across Germany due to radio communications failureAccording to some reports, the Berlin commuter train is not operatingRead moreUS-Israeli strike on humanitarian aid aircraft in western Iran reportedThe Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic called on all international bodies to take appropriate measures in response to this incidentRead moreNumber of civilians injured by Ukrainian army in June exceeds 250 per week — envoyAccording to Rodion Miroshnik, the weekly death toll ranged from 30 to 50 civiliansRead moreRussian armed forces actively implement AI, robotic systems — defense ministerAndrey Belousov emphasized the crucial role of human judgment in this technological landscapeRead moreRussia honors $234.8 mln Eurobond coupon payment — Finance MinistryPayments were made in accordance with the decree of the Russian Federation on the temporary procedure of honoring state debt liabilities of the Russian Federation to residents and foreign creditorsRead moreUS Senate passes resolution to end war with IranFifty senators voted in favor, with 48 voting againstRead moreRonaldo gets World Cup groove back, scores two goals in Portugal's win over UzbekistanPortugal now leads Group K with four pointsRead moreRussian mountain climber Pekova enters Guinness Book of World RecordsShe became the youngest woman to summit all of the world’s mountain peaks exceeding 8,000 metersRead morePrice of Brent oil down below $76 per barrel on London’s ICEAs of 3:01 a.m. GMT, the Brent price was down by 1.48% at $75.94 a barrelRead moreBRICS countries to use common strategic reserves for mutual assistance — ShoiguAccording to the Russian Security Council Secretary, this refers to fertilizers, LNG and oil, as well as medicines and a wide variety of other goodsRead moreSeven civilians wounded after Ukraine’s attacks on DPR during dayFour dwelling houses, six civilian infrastructure facilities, and five trucks were damaged in the periodRead moreWest holds back from launching drones at Russia over retaliation fears — PutinThe Russian leader pointed out that "when some Ukrainian drones fly over the Baltic states, they don’t attribute them to Russia"Read moreFACTBOX: Charting history of TASS media presence on ISSAnna Kikina became the first woman in the "TASS on the ISS" projectRead moreRussian troops strike Ukrainian long-range UAV assembly sites over past day — top brassRussia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 330 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the Defense Ministry reportedRead moreAfD leader calls on Merz to support Costa’s initiative to resume contacts with RussiaPolitico and Bloomberg reported earlier that during the recent EU summit, the association’s largest countries, including Germany, were infuriated over European Council President’s alleged preliminary contacts with MoscowRead moreSituation with US visas to Russian diplomats has made some progress, much work remainsDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov added that American officials have begun visiting RussiaRead moreTrump threatens to cancel contacts with Iran if there is no agreement on inspectionsSpeaking to journalists, the US leader assured that an agreement between Tehran and Washington regarding the arrival of IAEA inspectors in Iran already existsRead moreUS fighter jet downed over Iran likely conducted strikes on ground targets — mediaAccording to CBS News national security analyst Aaron MacLean, the pilots of the downed fighter had sidearmsRead morePersian Gulf countries running out of interceptor missiles - BloombergIran has fired almost 1,200 ballistic missiles and 4,000 Shahed drones at the Gulf states since the start of the warRead moreIran calls on Saudi Arabia to ‘eject’ US troops from regionIran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed that Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nationRead morePeskov points to trend toward declining role of dollar as global reserve currencyThe Kremlin spokesman noted that the foundations of the international economic order are being depreciatedRead moreRussia upgrades T-90 tank using troop feedback from battlefield — RostecThe knowledge of fighters is useful for modernizing hardware and creating new models, Rostec Deputy CEO Nikolay Volobuyev saidRead moreIndia PM's aide mulls Moscow's BRICS initiatives with Russian Security Council secretaryThe sides reviewed progress on their bilateral cooperation in different spheres, in keeping with the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic PartnershipRead moreMaximal interest rate on ruble deposits drop to 12.86% in mid-JuneThe rate was at the level of 12.97% per annum in late May and early June accordinglyRead moreAir defenses destroy 31 Ukrainian UAVs over Russian regions within six-hour periodTheu were destroyed over the Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Tula, Krasnodar, Stavropol Regions, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Abkhazia and over the Black Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry reportedRead moreBeginning of troops withdrawal is source of disagreement between Israel, Lebanon — TVAccording to a source cited by Al Hadath, Israel adheres to the step-by-step principle and demands that the Lebanese army take concrete action on the ground and demonstrate the ability to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructureRead moreIran to hit more targets if US attacks Kharg Island — ambassadorTehran’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Amir Hossein Hosseini also expressed hope that the conflict would be resolved diplomaticallyRead moreLavrov comments on Europe’s revanchism, Zelensky's comfort playing 'fuhrer' roleThe Russian top diplomat highlighted that the current elites in Europe made no secret of their preparations for a war against Russia in the near futureRead moreUS troop buildup near Iran not sign of any new decisions — White HouseThe United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28Read morePolitico understands Lavrov’s article effect, refuses to publish it — MFAForeign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that such an approach is far from being called "journalism"Read morePotential agreements with Europe should be within framework of Anchorage — Russian MFADeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov added that Moscow is watching with some interest the discussions regarding a potential EU negotiatorRead moreEngland, Ghana play to 0-0 draw in World Cup matchIn the final round, England will face Panama, while Ghana will face CroatiaRead moreMoscow to respond in case West uses Russian frozen assets — diplomatAny use of Russian assets for purposes not agreed with the Russian Federation is blatant robbery, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stressedRead moreOne person killed, one more injured in Belgorod Region during attack by Ukrainian armyA woman who sustained a shrapnel wound was taken to hospitalRead moreUS military aircraft struck by Iran makes it to Kuwait — TVIran also fired at two US UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters conducting a search and rescue operationRead moreContacts between Lavrov, Rubio to continue — senior Russian diplomatDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov added that telephone conversations between the officials can be quickly arrangedRead moreSerbia to stay friendly with Russia after election — expertSenior research associate at the Institute for Recent History of Serbia Milana Zivanovic emphasized that cooperation is beneficial for both sidesRead moreBees on planet dying out for unknown reasons — scientistDmitry Boguslavsky says scientists thought that bees became disoriented after leaving the hive. However, even if a colony was confined to the hive with food, water, and the right temperature, all bees still diedRead moreDistricts of Kherson Region completely or partially without power — governorVladimir Saldo says power workers and emergency services are already at the sceneRead moreRussia says no intention to dismantle elements of strategic stability with USDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted that hotlines between Russia and the US continue to operateRead moreEU aid to Ukraine frozen — BorrellThe ex-chief of EU diplomacy said the situation is similar with the approval of new sanctions against RussiaRead moreFormer British deputy foreign secretary says may run for PMAl Carns stressed that he is primarily interested in developing an updated political program for the Labour Party at the momentRead moreRussian authorities eyeing full ban on diesel fuel exportsDeputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that the full ban was set on gasoline and jet fuel exportsRead moreHungary once again holds up Ukraine's EU accession process — PoliticoHungary opposed sending a letter to the European Council and Commission on behalf of the bloc's 27 members that spells out the joint position of EU capitalsRead moreCuban diplomat slams US politicians for disseminating lies about republicErnesto Sobero Guzman criticized statements by US politicians regarding the situation on the island and the imposition of new sanctions against Cuban organizationsRead morePower outage reported in Sevastopol as Russia downs 323 Ukrainian drones overnightTwo civilians were killed each in a Ukrainian drone attack on Gorlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and on the Nizhny Novgorod RegionRead moreKiev cannot forgive Crimea for rejoining Russia in 2014 — KonstantinovChairman of the State Council of the Republic urged Crimeans to show restraint, patience, and uniteRead moreRussian artillery wipes out Ukrainian UAV control posts in Kharkov RegionThe Russian Defense Ministry reported that Giatsint-S crews delivered strikes by 152mm high-explosive fragmentation shells from sheltered positionsRead moreAir defenses down nearly 100 drones in Kursk Region over day — governorAlexander Khinshtein said that as a result of the attacks, a school and a private residence in Kolontayevka were damagedRead moreUkrainian POW demands 'just punishment' for Ukraine army commanders, ZelenskyAccording to Sergey Rykov, the policy course being pursued by the Ukrainian leadership is pushing the country’s population to the brink of extinctionRead moreTu-160s conduct scheduled flight over Barents, Norwegian seasEscort support was provided by MiG-31 crewsRead moreUS LNG exports remain high in April, with Egypt leading wayLNG exports were 6% lower than in March and 20% higher than in April 2025Read moreTrump says Iran has 48 hours to make deal or open straitTime is running out: 48 hours remain before all hell rains down on them, US President saidRead moreRussia warns about countermeasures in event of Baltic region's development by NATODeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said a recent statement by the Nuclear Planning Group was "a reflection of the alliance’s overall super-aggressive attitude toward Russia"Read moreLavrov meets with UN chief candidate Espinosa — Russian Foreign MinistryMaria Espinosa presented her campaign platformRead moreRussian government considers diesel fuel exports banThe situation in the Russian fuel market is "indeed challenging but controlled," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak saidRead moreRussian-made Molniya-PVO interceptor drones prove effective against enemy UAVs The drones proved effective against low-flying targetsRead moreUS economic militarization and oil price trends: topics of Kremlin’s briefingDespite fluctuations in the global oil prices, the macroeconomic stability of the Russian economy is firmly maintained, Dmitry Peskov emphasizedRead moreAnother strike hits area near Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in IranOne of the facility’s security guards was killed, Iran’s AEOI saidRead morePerpetrators of attack on bus carrying kids identified, wanted — Investigative CommitteeThe perpetrators will be arrested in absentia soonRead moreZelensky's threats against Belarus, response to Europe’s militarization: what is knownRussian and Belarusian presidents, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko plan to meet soon to discuss, among other things, Zelensky's threatsRead moreHelicopter operations held near Polish-Ukrainian borderAccording to a source in the EU air traffic control services, a helicopter belonging to one of the security agencies was patrolling the airspace at an altitude of up to 400 meters for nearly an hourRead moreRepelling drone attacks and reserves for mutual assistance: Shoigu’s statementsAccording to the Russian Security Council Secretary, BRICS member countries will use the group's common reserve fundsRead moreIsrael, US attack amusement park in central IranNo information on casualties or damage has been reported yetRead moreTrump orders probe as oil prices stay highThe US president earlier claimed that around 19 million barrels of oil exited the Strait of Hormuz on June 22Read moreRussia-US dialogue on irritants in state of certain stagnation — senior Russian diplomatDeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted "small progress" in this dialogueRead moreRound-the-clock efforts underway to prevent Kiev’s terrorist attacks — FSB chiefAlexander Bortnikov called Vladimir Zelensky a terroristRead moreEU to spend 7 trillion euros on weapons in next decade to 'outgun' Russia — ECThe European Union needs to pay the price for peace, to avoid the cost of war, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius saidRead moreTrump suggests critics of Iran deal, including his allies, should ‘educate’ themselvesThe US leader reiterated that Washington was making "an amazing deal with Iran"Read moreWest has failed as mediator on Ukraine, cannot be taken seriously — LavrovThe foreign minister stressed that Moscow is focused is on achieving the objectives of the special military operation at presentRead moreUS to make new decisions on Iran if it refuses to accept IAEA inspectors — RubioThe US secretary of state denied that there was no understanding between Washington and Tehran regarding the return of IAEA inspectors to IranRead moreRutte states need to increase military production on both sides of AtlanticThe NATO secretary general aslo stressed the need to replenish ammunition stockpilesRead more18 civilians, including teenager, injured in Ukraine’s drone attacks on DPRThe attacks also damaged four civilian infrastructure facilitiesRead moreRussian Guardsmen destroy two Ukrainian army’s relay stations in Kharkov areaAccording to the report, the enemy used the devices to extend the flight zone of strike FPV drones and provide communications between unitsRead moreRoscosmos invites NASA chief to RussiaThe US Senate unanimously voted to appoint Nelson to the post of NASA chief in late AprilRead morePutin, Lukashenko to discuss Zelensky’s threats soon — KremlinDmitry Peskov added that it will be a good opportunity to discuss other issues as wellRead moreKiev’s terrorist attacks cannot change situation at frontline — PutinThe Russian forces are liberating one settlement after another, the Russian president saidRead morePress review: UK PM to continue predecessor policy as US reshapes oil market beyond OPEC+Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, June 23rdRead moreEU authorities unwilling to put brakes on growth of military budgets — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister said that Europe's military spending is increasing significantlyRead moreWest facing catastrophic consequences in event of clash with Moscow — MFAAccording to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, an understanding might emerge in Western countries that "we need to lower the temperature"Read moreRussian forces crush larger part of Ukrainian troops in Konstantinovka, Krasny LimanMilitary expert Andrey Marochko said the Ukrainian defenses collapsed in some frontline sectorsRead moreTanker with Iranian oil change course, heading to China — PTIThe change in the destination of Pin Shun appears to be payment-related, Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst at Kpler, notedRead moreCroatia beats Panama in World Cup matchThe match ended with a score of 1-0Read moreOne killed, 6 others injured in Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s Belgorod Region in past dayActing Governor Alexander Shuvayev said that Ukrainian troops attacked the Belgorod Region 75 times over the past 24 hoursRead moreGeneral HQ of Iranian army warns of potentially larger strikes on Tel AvivThe Iranian military also advised "host countries of US military bases to force the Americans to leave their territory, if they want to avoid damage"Read morePutin rejects Western allegations about Russian threat as false claimsAs the Russian leader emphasized, the West is openly discussing preparations for war with Russia and increasing its defense budgetsRead moreElon Musk loses his trillionaire statusThe US entrepreneur's fortune has fallen to $957 blnRead more