The Zaporizhzhia station, Europe's largest with six reactors, was seized by Russian forces in the early days of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Each side regularly accuses the other of attacking or plotting to attack the plant
"The media are actively spreading fakes that Russia is allegedly planning to withdraw from Enerhodar and leave the (nuclear plant). This information is not true," the Russian backed administration said on the Telegram messaging app.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, which Russia seized shortly after its Feb. 24 invasion, was again rocked by shelling at the weekend, leading to renewed calls from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to create a protection zone around it to prevent a nuclear disaster.
The recently restored power has been cut again, forcing the plant to switch to emergency diesel generators, the U.N. atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said.
Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for shelling at the site of Europe's biggest nuclear plant that has damaged buildings and threatened a catastrophic nuclear accident.
"There is a plan on the table to do it. Last week I had an opportunity to start consultations with Ukraine and with the Russian Federation ... and I am ready to continue these consultations in both countries this week," Grossi told a meeting of International Atomic Energy Agency member states.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was captured by Russian forces in March
Two weeks after it went down, one of the four main power lines at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station has been repaired and is once more supplying the plant with electricity from the Ukrainian grid, according to the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
The IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, said its inspectors will visit the plant this week. The facility has been occupied by Russian forces since the first days of the war in Ukraine, but is still managed by Ukrainian staff and connected to Ukraine's power grid.
In a statement, the ministry said there are no Russian heavy weapons at the Russian-controlled nuclear power plant, or in the nearby districts.
"(Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky's militants once again struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and territory near the nuclear facility," Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Moscow-installed regional administration, said on messaging app Telegram.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant fire: Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of resorting to “nuclear terror” in its relentless attack on Ukraine.