On January 31, the First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on CIS issues, Eurasian integration and relations with overseas Vietnamese, Mr. Viktor Vodolatsky, said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement about not being willing to compromise regarding Donbass, as well as his desire to gain control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, could lead to disaster for many countries.
On January 30, in an exchange with the press, Mr. Zelensky once again rejected the possibility of compromise on Donbass as well as the operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, affirming that he would not yield to these positions if he "did not fight".
According to Mr. Vodolatsky, with such statements, "Mr. Zelensky has shown the entire international community that he can use artillery shells and long-range missiles at any time, capable of reaching and damaging the nuclear power plant.
Mr. Vodolatsky warned that this would be a serious environmental disaster, not only affecting Russia and Ukraine but also spreading to European countries. He emphasized that "this out-of-control situation needs to be prevented by all means to avoid a second Chernobyl nuclear disaster".
According to the Russian MP, the above decisions need to be considered more carefully, because Mr. Zelensky understands the hope of maintaining his position and ensuring his personal future in the eyes of the European Union (EU) and the UK, which are said to be ready to grant asylum and guarantee him a safe and comfortable life at any time.
Not only that, the Ukrainian leader also clearly recognizes the determination of US President Donald Trump in ending the conflict in Eastern Europe. Accordingly, recognizing the constitutional decisions of the people of Donbass, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia about returning and joining the Russian Federation is considered a key factor in the process of resolving the conflict.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is a nuclear facility controlled by Russia, located on the banks of the Kakhovka reservoir, in the city of Energodar. This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, consisting of 6 units with a total capacity of 6 GW.
Currently, all units are in a cold stand and do not generate electricity. Since 2022, Russia has accused the Ukrainian army of repeatedly shelling residential areas in Energodar as well as the factory area, and conducting attacks by UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Since September 2022, a mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been on duty here and rotated periodically.
