Six commanders of Russian National Guard received sentences for shelling Zaporizhzhia NPP - Prosecutor General

Six commanders of the Russian National Guard received sentences for shelling the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, reported on Tuesday Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko on social media, writes UNN.

Sentences have been handed down to six commanders of the Russian National Guard for shelling the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

According to the Prosecutor General, on the night of March 3-4, 2022, Russian troops stormed the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Under the cover of tanks and heavy armored vehicles, the occupiers shelled the plant's territory for several hours, including in the direction of nuclear reactors and the spent nuclear fuel storage facility, he stated.

"Despite warnings about the risk of a man-made catastrophe, the shelling did not stop. A fire broke out on the plant's territory, critically important networks and communications were damaged. Russian troops did not allow rescuers to extinguish the fire, and ZNPP employees remained blocked at their workplaces," the Prosecutor General continued.

"Experts confirmed: the actions of the occupiers could have led to the destruction of the reactors' protective barriers and a massive release of radioactive substances. The consequences of such a scenario could have affected not only Ukraine but also other European states," Kravchenko emphasized.

The court established that the assault was led by two major generals and four commanders of battalion tactical groups of the Russian National Guard. They coordinated the actions of units and ensured the use of weapons during the seizure of the plant. Based on the public prosecution by prosecutors of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Prosecutor's Office, the court found all six guilty of violating the laws and customs of war. Each was sentenced to 12 years in prison

According to him, the verdict was handed down in a special judicial proceeding.

"The shelling of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant became one of the most dangerous episodes of this war. It was a deliberate attack on a facility, an accident at which could have caused a large-scale radiation catastrophe. Even years later, responsibility for such crimes is inevitable. Everyone who gave orders, directed the shelling, or knowingly created a threat to nuclear safety must answer before the court. This is a principled position from which we will not deviate. We continue to work," Kravchenko emphasized.