New Delhi, Mar 4 (IANS): The Ukrainian sabotage group attempted a provocation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which had previously been taken under the control of the Russian military, Russia's Defence Ministry said.

It said that saboteurs fired on a patrol of the Russian guard on the territory of a nuclear facility, but were suppressed by return fire. Leaving the vicinity of the nuclear power plant, the Ukrainian group set fire to it.

Russia said the purpose of the Ukrainian provocation at the nuclear facility was an attempt to accuse Russia of creating a source of radioactive contamination, RT reported.

The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defence, Igor Konashenkov, did not rule out that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had lost control over Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs) with the participation of foreign mercenaries.

Konashenkov's statement came on the "provocation" in the area of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.

"All this testifies to the criminal intent of the Kiev regime or to the complete loss of control by Zelensky over the actions of Ukrainian sabotage groups with the participation of foreign mercenaries," he said, RT reported.

Konashenkov also said that 1,812 military facilities were destroyed during the operation in Ukraine.

In total, 1,812 targets were hit during the operation, including 65 command posts and communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 56 S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, he said.

Also, according to him, 635 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, as well as 54 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed.