Russian forces seize Ukraine nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, after intense fighting
- Ukraine president accused Russia of ‘nuclear terror’ after an attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
- US and the International Atomic Energy Agency said there were no signs of elevated radiation at the facility
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Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear power facility on fire after Russian attack, say local officials
Russian forces seized the largest nuclear power plant in Europe on Friday after a building at the complex was set ablaze during intense fighting with Ukrainian defenders, Ukrainian authorities said.
Fears of a potential nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant near the city of Enerhodar had spread alarm across world capitals, before authorities said the fire in a building identified as a training centre, had been extinguished.
The International Atomic Energy Agency and US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said there was no indication of elevated radiation levels at the plant, which provides more than a fifth of total electricity generated in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian regional authority confirmed in a Facebook post that Russian forces had captured the plant and said personnel were monitoring the condition of power units to ensure they could operate safely. Ukraine’s nuclear inspectorate also confirmed Russian troops had “occupied” the facility in southeastern Ukraine.
“The territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is occupied by the armed forces of the Russian Federation,” the agency said.
Earlier, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of wanting to “repeat” the Chernobyl disaster after he said Russian forces shot at the Zaporizhzhia plant.
He begged world leaders to wake up and prevent Europe from “dying from a nuclear disaster” after the Russian attack.