International
Alarms raised over attack on Ukraine’s nuclear plant
04 Mar, 2022
Ukraine says Russian troops are “firing from all sides” at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest plant in Europe.
Local officials say that a fire has broken out in the plant because of these attacks.
“Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba?wrote on Twitter.
Laura Rockwood, the director of the Open Nuclear Network non-profit, earlier told the BBC’s Radio 4 that the war could have an impact on Ukraine’s electricity grid, which depends on nuclear power.
She said military activity around a plant poses two direct risks to nuclear instillations – potential damage to a plant’s infrastructure and harm to its personnel, or much more serious damage that affects a plant’s operational abilities that could cause a meltdown.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it is in contact with Ukrainian authorities over the reports of shelling at the the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
A spokesperson for the plant has also taken to social media asking that Russian forces “stop the heavy weapons fire”.
?There is a real threat of nuclear danger in the biggest atomic energy station in Europe,? Andriy Tuz said in a video on Telegram, according to the Associated Press.
Tuz said the plant is under direct attack from Russian shelling and firefighters are not able to go near the fire that had broken out.
He added the reactor that is on fire was under renovation and is not currently operational, but it contains nuclear fuel.
Zaporizhzhia reportedly accounts for some 25% of the country’s power. (Courtesy BBC)
Recommended For You
