Russian Defense Ministry reports Ukrainian saboteurs' attack on Zaporizhzhya NPP patrol

MOSCOW. March 4 (Interfax) - Ukrainian saboteurs have attacked a Russian National Guard patrol at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"Last night, the Kyiv nationalist regime tried to stage a horrid provocation in the power plant's vicinity," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Friday.

"At about 2 a.m. on March 4, a mobile patrol of the Russian National Guard was attacked by a group of Ukrainian saboteurs while protecting the restricted area near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Heavy gunfire was opened at Russian National Guard servicemen from windows on several floors of a training center outside the power plant premises in order to provoke fire in return," Konashenkov said.

"The Russian patrol returned gunfire and suppressed the firing positions of the Ukrainian saboteurs in the training center. As it was leaving the building, the group of Ukrainian saboteurs set fire to the training center. Firemen put out the fire," he said.

"None of the power plant staff members was inside the training center at the time the provocation was staged," Konashenkov said.