The mayor of the Ukrainian city of Energodar was the first to report a fire in the area of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe – Zaporizhzhya in a Facebook post. According to Dmitry Orlov, the fire broke out as a result of a Russian attack. Minutes later, the information was confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
About two hours after the news of the fire leaked, Ukrainian services were quoted as saying by Reuters. the fire actually engulfed a school building outside the perimeter of the reactors.
In a series of posts on the social network, Orlov warned of relentless attacks on the plant. He claims that the local military forces have fought fiercely against Russian troops, Reuters writes. According to the mayor, there are also victims, but their exact number is not specified.
Dmitry Kuleba called on the Russian troops to stop the shelling immediately, to establish a safe zone so that firefighters could start extinguishing the flames.
Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Fire has already broke out. If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!
– Dmytro Kuleba (myDmytroKuleba) March 4, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also wrote on Facebook that Russia was shelling the strategic site and posting a video.
In a statement made hours after the fire started, the head of state said that “no other country, except Russia, has fired on nuclear power plants,” UNIAN reported. “Europe needs to wake up now! Europe’s largest nuclear power plant is on fire. Russian tanks are currently firing on nuclear blocks. These are tanks equipped with thermal imaging cameras. That is, they know where to shoot. They were preparing for that, “Zelenski stressed. And he describes the attack as “the first of its kind in human history.”
A little later, the head of the Regional State Administration in Zaporozhye Alexander Starukh announced that teams of firefighters were allowed to the scene of the fire. The old man also quotes the director of the plant, who assures that he is currently the nuclear safety of the facility is ensured. Minutes later, the same information was published by Reuters and Ukrainian media.
Rescue services in the country said they had managed to reach the nuclear power plant. A 44 firefighters with 11 fire engines are trying to put out the blaze, according to a statement posted on Facebook.
Zaporozhye NPP spokesman Andriy Tuz said that radiation levels in the area of the facility have not risen, write Reuters and CNN. The American media also quoted two representatives of the White House, who also stated that there was no evidence of rising radiation in the attacked nuclear complex in Ukraine.
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm also informed that the reactors of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant are well protected and has begun to stop them safely, Reuters reported. The United States has no data on rising radiation levels, she added.
In case of fire no important technique is affectedthe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced.
US President Joe Biden talks to Zelensky about the plant fire. The US head of state joined Zelensky’s call to Moscow “to stop all military activity in the area and allow firefighters and emergency services access to the site,” the White House said, quoted by Reuters.
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