First Deputy Representative of the US State Department Vedant Patel said that any attempts to disconnect the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant from the Ukrainian power grid and redirect electricity to Russian-occupied territories are unacceptable, the press service of the department reports..

“It is clear that Russia’s shelling and seizure of Ukrainian power plants and infrastructure is part of its strategy to create an energy crisis in Europe.. We strongly condemn any actions at the ZNPP or elsewhere that affect the health and well-being of civilians throughout the region,” Patel said during a briefing..

According to him, no country should turn a nuclear power plant into a zone of active hostilities..

Patel added that the United States is closely monitoring reports of shutdowns of the last two operating ZNPP reactors, and noted that now, according to reports, all safety and security systems of the plant are working normally, there are no signs of an increase in radiation levels..

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The speaker also stressed that Russia's attempts to appropriate Ukrainian electricity are unacceptable..

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As reported, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that power supply to the Russian-occupied station has been restored, but for now it remains disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid..

U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Moscow on Thursday to hand over control of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to Ukrainian authorities during a phone call marking Ukraine's Independence Day..