ISTANBUL

Russian authorities on Wednesday declared that they introduced restrictions on entries into a town near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, which Moscow claims has been targeted by Kyiv. 

Acting Kursk Governor Alexey Smirnov said on Telegram that the operational headquarters established in the region decided to restrict entries “in the near future” into the town of Kurchatov, about 4 kilometers (2,5 miles) east of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant and almost 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

“Despite the fact that the security of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is maximally ensured, the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not abandon their attempts to enter the city,” Smirnov said, adding that the decision will be implemented at specially organized checkpoints.

Smirnov further said that residents of Kurchatov who have registration will be able to freely enter the settlement, while those who work there and do not have a residence permit will be able to obtain passes from the town and district’s administrations.

Kursk is among three of Russia’s border regions, including Bryansk and Belgorod, where a “counter-terrorist operation regime” has been declared due to Ukraine’s ongoing “operation” in the region since Aug. 6.

Last week, Russia claimed that Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, with the drone being shot down near a spent nuclear fuel storage facility.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the attack, calling it "an act of nuclear terrorism that demands immediate action from the IAEA."

Ukrainian authorities have not commented on Moscow’s claims, and independent verification of the claim is difficult due to the ongoing war.

The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is one of Russia’s largest nuclear power plants and plays a vital role in the country’s energy system, providing electricity to 19 regions within the country’s Central Federal District.