"There is a serious threat because Russia is technically ready to provoke a local explosion at the facility, which could lead to a (radiation) release," Zelensky told a news conference on Saturday.
As the source of his information Zelensky cited Ukrainian intelligence services that have previously said Russian troops had mined the plant.
He then called for increased international vigilance over the Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest civil nuclear facility and wanted sanctions on Russia's state nuclear company Rosatom.
Zelensky later visited another of Ukraine's five nuclear plants, in Rivne, in the northwest of the country where he held a meeting of the top military command and nuclear power officials, the Polish Radio news agency IAR reported on Sunday.
"We covered a wide range of topics related to our border, our operational-strategic group 'North,' and Ukraine's strategic assets, including the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, where a staff meeting was held,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address, standing in front of the Rivne plant.
“In general, we thoroughly addressed not only matters related to the physical security of our strategic facilities and northern regions but also sensitive issues like cybersecurity, he added.”
Zelenky's trip to Rivne was a rare journey for the Ukraine leader to an area relatively far from the fighting, according to the Reuters news agency.
The area is near the border with Belarus, where Russia's Wagner mercenaries have a deal to go after last week's aborted uprising.
Their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was offered the option of resettling in Belarus, on Ukraine's northern border.
On Friday, Zelensky said that Ukrainian state services are meticulously scrutinising the intelligence pertaining to the military deployment of Wagner group units, adding that he had taken action to enhance security at the country's border with Belarus.
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Source: PAP, IAR, Reuters