WAR IN UKRAINE – The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest in central Ukraine, was hit on Friday (March 4th) by Russian military fires, but its safety is a “guarantee” according to Kyiv, which has accused Moscow of resorting to to “nuclear terror”.
“After a bombardment by Russian forces of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, a fire broke out,” plant spokesman Andrei Tuz said in a video published in the Telegram.
“Nuclear security is already guaranteed. According to the employees of the plant, the training building and the laboratory were affected by the fire “, the head of the military administration of the Zaporozhye region Alexander Starukh later pointed out on Facebook.
“Firefighters intervened to put out the fire in the building for formations,” said a press release from the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Facebook, stating that there were no casualties and that 44 Firefighters and firefighters were involved in the operation. 11 cars.
It was about 30 minutes ago (0:34 hours from Paris), we see shells (which look like flares) falling near the nuclear power plant in Zaporozhye (Zaporozhye) with smoke that dissipates quite quickly.
live here https://t.co/JF66v2yTN7pic.twitter.com/oe3yDWpp7z– Philip Berry (@ptiberry) March 4, 2022
Radioactivity levels remain unchanged at the site of the plant, which has six nuclear reactors and provides much of the country’s energy, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
The IAEA “calls for an end to the use of force and warns of serious danger if the reactors are hit,” the organization tweeted.
Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (Zaporozhye) is located in southern Ukraine, halfway between Kherson and Mariupol. With its 6 WWER reactors (6,000 MW in total), it is the most powerful in Europe and supplies 20% of Ukraine’s electricity. pic.twitter.com/Y1uOlC1eOU
– Philip Berry (@ptiberry) March 4, 2022
“If there’s an explosion, that’s the end of it.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has accused Moscow of resorting to “nuclear terror” and seeking to “repeat” the Chernobyl disaster, the worst in history in 1986.
“We warn everyone about the fact that no country other than Russia has ever fired on nuclear power plants. This is the first time in our history, the first time in the history of mankind. “This terrorist state is now resorting to nuclear terror,” he said in a video released by the Ukrainian presidency.
“Ukraine has fifteen nuclear reactors. If there’s an explosion, that’s the end of it. The end of Europe. This is an evacuation of Europe, “he continued. “Only immediate European action can stop Russian troops. “We must prevent Europe from dying from a nuclear accident,” he added.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council “in the next few hours”. “President Putin’s irresponsible actions can now directly threaten the security of the whole of Europe,” he complained in a statement after meeting with Vladimir Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president also spoke by phone with US President Joe Biden, a Washington official said. Joe Biden then “called on Russia to end its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and rescue services to have access to the site,” according to the White House.
Fighting was already taking place on February 24 near the former Chernobyl power plant, about 100 kilometers north of Kyiv, which is now in the hands of Russian troops.
In statements on Russian television on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin did not hope to soften the offensive. “The special military operation is proceeding strictly on schedule,” he said, paying tribute to Russian soldiers and their “valuable fight against neo-Nazis” and “foreign mercenaries” who he said used civilians as “human shields”. “in Ukraine.
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