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We expect major Russian provocation on Independence Day: Ukrainian Dep PM

With Ukraine’s Independence Day taking place on Wednesday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna told TVP World that it was difficult to talk about celebration during wartime, noting that the “Russian regime and the Kremlin is very much obsessed about the symbolism and Ukrainian independence.”

“It is exactly something that Russia has been trying to undermine for already 31 years and six months,” she said, adding that “we expect a major provocation” which might take “both the military and non-military” nature.

TVP World’s guest stressed that the Ukrainian government was “following closely the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” expressing her hopes that access to the site would be granted to international inspectors “so that they can take control over the power plant as it was done with Chernobyl.”

“We warned all of our citizens that they should take all the necessary measures of security to avoid anything that they might be subjected to these days,” she said.

‘If Russians cause a nuclear disaster, it is going to affect NATO’

Asked whether she had any discussions on an event when a potential nuclear disaster at the nuclear power plant and its fallout could trigger Article 5 of NATO, the deputy PM stressed that “obviously… [a] nuclear disaster… has a transborder aspect affecting nearly a third of the NATO allies and this is something that should be stopped because [Ukraine] does not have only one power plant on its territory and any toleration of this kind of disaster would lead the way for Russia to further the aggression.”

“We will do our best to present all necessary arguments to make sure that NATO as Alliance can enforce necessary measures to stop Russia and hold it accountable for the crimes it had committed,” Ms Stefanishyna stressed.

She went on to recall how at the beginning of the war Russian forces had occupied the Chernobyl power plant and how the intervention of international experts had helped to bring about the withdrawal of Russian troops from the site.

“At this time, it is absolutely clear that nobody is going to play by Russian playbooks and there is only one way for inspectors to get access to [the Zaporizhzhia power plant], which is through the territory of Ukraine where we can guarantee the necessary security measures,” she said, adding that “the easiest way would be for Russians to step out of this territory, leave it under control of Ukraine and authorities who will ensure international presence there.”

If you are interested in why Russia insists that the international inspectors travel through Russian territory, click the video above.

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