Russia says Ukraine storing arms at nuclear plants, Kyiv denies claim - Reuters

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Russia's overseas quality work (SVR) connected Monday accused Ukraine of storing Western-supplied arms astatine atomic powerfulness stations crossed the country, an allegation dismissed arsenic untrue by a elder Ukrainian official.

The Russian spy bureau provided nary grounds and Reuters was incapable to verify the claims.

An SVR connection said that U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers, aerial defence systems and artillery ammunition had been delivered to the Rivne atomic powerfulness presumption successful northwest Ukraine.

"The Ukrainian equipped forces are storing weapons and ammunition provided by the West connected the territory of atomic powerfulness plants," it said, adding that an arms shipment to the Rivne powerfulness presumption had taken spot successful the past week of December.

Asked astir the study connected Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the claims demonstrated the value of maintaining dialog with the United Nations' atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

However, Peskov said determination were presently nary plans for a gathering betwixt IAEA caput Rafael Grossi and President Vladimir Putin.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskiy, said his state has ne'er utilized atomic powerfulness plants (NPP) to store weapons.

"Ukraine has ne'er stored immoderate weapons connected NPP territory, arsenic falsely claimed by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service. On the contrary, the Russian Federation seized the Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness works and keeps its subject there," helium said connected Twitter.

Podolyak said that Ukraine remained "open to inspecting bodies, including the IAEA" and that "Russian lies are aimed to warrant their provocations".

Ukraine's galore atomic powerfulness stations person been the absorption of attraction since the commencement of the conflict. Russian forces seized the defunct Chornobyl atomic powerfulness works little than 48 hours aft troops invaded and besides captured the Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness works - the largest successful Europe - aboriginal successful the war.

Both Kyiv and Moscow person accused each different of shelling Zaporizhzhia. Ukraine besides says Russia is utilizing the tract arsenic a de facto weapons depot.

The IAEA has expressed sedate concerns implicit attacks adjacent the plant, informing of the hazard of a atomic disaster.

Reporting by Reuters Editing by Gareth Jones and David Goodman

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