'There's so many uncertainties': Expert reacts to Ukraine nuclear power ...

Ukraine says Russia firing on Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, largest in Europe

 

Fire that broke out at the site is now out, officials say.

 

BY ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH

March 4, 2022 3:23 am

https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-forces-fire-on-ukrainian-nuclear-power-plant-largest-in-europe/

 

A fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine's southeast has been extinguished, after Russian forces fired at it "from all sides," officials said in the early hours of Friday.

 

In a video posted just before 4 a.m. local time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian tanks were bombarding the power plant, and appealed "to all Ukrainians, to all Europeans, to all people who know the word Chernobyl," referring to the nuclear disaster that occurred in 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said there were six nuclear reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant, while in Chernobyl, only "one nuclear reactor" had caused a catastrophe.

 

Zelenskyy said: “No country other than Russia has ever fired on nuclear power units. This is the first time in our history. In the history of mankind.” He added: "Now it is not a threat, now it is a reality, and we do not know ... where this will end."

 

Dmytro Orlov, the mayor of the nearby town of Energodar, had earlier posted a desperate plea on social media, saying the attack on Zaporizhzhia was "a threat to world security," and adding that "as a result of continuous enemy shelling of buildings and units" there was a fire at the plant. In a follow-up video, Orlov warned "firefighters cannot get to the scene."

 

Ukraine's emergency services subsequently said the fire had been extinguished.

 

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Twitter that it was "aware of reports of shelling" at the Zaporizhzhia plant, which is the largest of its kind in Europe and supplies around a quarter of Ukraine's energy. It later added that it had put its Incident and Emergency Centre "in full 24/7 response mode" due to the "serious situation."

 

The IAEA said its Director General Rafael Grossi had spoken with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and with the Ukrainian nuclear regulator and the plant's operator about the "serious situation," and warned of "severe danger if reactors hit." But the agency said Ukraine's nuclear regulator had thus far said "there has been no change reported in radiation levels" at the site.

 

"Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. He added: "Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!"

 

In his video, Zelenskyy said he had already spoken with several world leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish President Andrzej Duda and European Council President Charles Michel.

 

The White House readout, which was released before the fire at the plant had been extinguished, said "Biden joined President Zelenskyy in urging Russia to cease its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and emergency responders to access the site."

 

In the U.K. readout, a spokesperson for Johnson said the PM had spoken with Zelenskyy about the "gravely concerning" situation, and was seeking an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting. Johnson warned that “the reckless actions" of Russian President Vladimir Putin "could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe."

 

Earlier, Mayor Orlov had posted a video of what appeared to be heavy shelling in the area. Fire and shelling was also visible in a livestream from the power plant on YouTube.

 

This story has been updated.