Russia Could Stage 'Terrorist Attack' On Ukraine Nuclear Plant, 'High-Profile Provocation' Being Prepared: Intel

Russia could be planning and preparing for a "terrorist attack" on a Ukrainian power plant, according to Ukrainian intel.

Ukrainian intelligence officials said they received information that Russia is preparing a high-profile provocation targeting the country's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant this Friday, the same day U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to visit the Black Sea port of Odessa where grain exports have resumed, according to a recent report published on Telegram by the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

"The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the alleged preparation of a 'terrorist attack' by the Armed Forces. It is reported that during the visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Ukraine, a high-profile provocation is being prepared to accuse the Russian Federation of a man-made disaster," the intelligence report stated.

In addition to preparing for a nuclear attack, Russia has allegedly told the majority of the workers of the Zaporizhzhia power plant, particularly the employees and engineers of state-owned Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom, not to come to work Friday. Only "operative personnel" would be allowed to enter the Zaporizhzhia plant Friday.

"There is new information, it arrived about half an hour ago, that for tomorrow, August 19, there is an order for the majority of the staff not to go to work," Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukraine's Chief Intelligence Directorate, told NBC News, adding that it might be evidence that Russia is planning provocations at the power plant.

The NBC News report said that the Kremlin neither confirmed nor denied reports that Rosatom personnel have been assigned to work at the Zaporizhzhia power plant.

Ukraine's claims of a possible Russian provocation at the nuclear plant comes after the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday said that Ukraine and its "U.S. handlers" are attempting to stage a "minor accident" at the plant and place the blame on Moscow.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe, fell under Russian control in March shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine. In recent weeks, the plant has become the target of daily shellings. Both Moscow and Kyiv have blamed each other for the attacks.