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Early Friday, Russian soldiers continued their assault on a key energy-producing city by shelling Europe’s largest nuclear power facility, causing a fire and increasing fears that radiation could leak from the damaged power plant. Shells were dropping directly on the Zaporizhzhia plant in Enerhodar, according to plant spokeswoman Andriy Tuz, who said one of the station’s six reactors had caught fire. He claimed that while the reactor is closed for renovations and is not operational, there remains nuclear fuel within.
Elevated radiation levels were recorded near the plant, which generates around 25% of Ukraine’s electricity, according to a government official. Because the material has not yet been shared publicly, the official spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Tuz claims that firefighters are unable to approach the flames due to gunfire. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, sent a tweet to Russian President Vladimir Putin pleading with them to halt the attack and allow fire teams inside.
In a video statement, Tuz said, “We demand that they cease firing heavy weapons.” “In Europe’s largest atomic power facility, there is a real possibility of nuclear disaster.”
The attack reawakened fears that the invasion might destroy one of Ukraine’s 15 nuclear reactors, triggering a repeat of the 1986 Chernobyl tragedy, the world’s worst nuclear disaster, which occurred approximately 110 kilometres (65 miles) north of the city.
Ukrainian soldiers are fighting Russian troops on the outskirts of Enerhodar, according to the mayor. Just a day after the UN atomic monitoring agency expressed deep concern that the fighting could cause unintended damage to Ukraine’s 15 nuclear reactors, video showed fires and black smoke rising over the city of over 50,000 people, with people flowing past smashed automobiles.
A Russian military column was on its way to the nuclear plant, according to the Ukrainian state atomic energy company. Late Thursday, there were loud gunshots and rocket fire.
Later, a live-streamed security camera linked from the Zaporizhzhia plant’s homepage showed armoured vehicles pulling into the parking area and putting spotlights on the building where the camera was situated.
Then there were blinding muzzle flashes from cars, followed by practically simultaneous explosions in the adjacent buildings. The frame was then filled with smoke, which rose into the frame and then dissipated.
The violence in Enerhodar occurred as the two sides held yet another round of talks, with a tentative agreement to establish safe corridors into Ukraine to evacuate civilians and supply humanitarian aid.
In other news, Russian soldiers made progress in their attempt to shut Ukraine off from the sea, while Ukrainian officials urged residents to stand up and fight the invaders in guerilla warfare.
While the massive Russian armoured column threatening Kyiv appeared to be stuck outside the capital, Vladimir Putin’s forces have been deploying their superior firepower in recent days, launching hundreds of missile and artillery attacks on cities and other targets across the country and making significant gains in the south.
As the conflict grew more intense, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal urged the West to seal the airspace over the country’s nuclear power reactors. He stated in a statement, “It’s a subject of global security!”
Because a no-fly zone would put Russian and Western military forces against one other, the US and NATO partners have ruled it out.
The Russians announced the control of Kherson, a significant Black Sea port with a population of 280,000 people, and local Ukrainian officials verified the Russian takeover of the government headquarters there, making it the first major city to fall since the assault began a week ago.
