Russian forces said they had taken control of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, one of Europe’s largest, on Friday, news agency Reuters quoted officials from the regional state administration as saying.
Earlier on Friday morning, Ukraine and the rest of the world were concerned about a nuclear disaster as alleged shelling by the Russian military caused a fire on the periphery of the nuclear power plant.
The Associated Press news agency (AP) said in a separate report that firefighters had put out the fire and damaged the reactor number 1 compartment at the Zaporizhzhya plant. The regional military administration also said in a statement that there was no threat to the safety of the plant.
“The (radiation level) remains unchanged and does not endanger the life and health of the population,” the administration said in a statement accessed by the AP.
Ukrainian officials, speaking to news agency and nuclear energy watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the radiation levels were not as dangerous.
After the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia plant, nuclear energy experts were concerned whether an event like Chernobyl would put lives at risk. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky received calls from US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who expressed concern that an escalation in hostilities could lead to a nuclear incident.
Soon after the gunfight Andrey Tuz told Ukrainian television that the firing took place directly at the facility and that one of the six reactors caught fire. He underlined that the reactor was under refurbishment but said it contained nuclear fuel.
The mayor of Enerhodar Dmitry Orlov – the city where the plant is located – confirmed the fire was extinguished. He further said that the Russian shelling stopped around dawn and asked its 50,000 residents – most of whom had fled to shelters – to return home. The AP reported that the city is facing power shortage and residents are unable to get heating facilities as the heating main has been damaged by the shelling.
Kherson is a major Ukrainian city under Russia, a week after Russian President Putin announced a so-called “military operation” in Ukraine.
read all breaking news, today’s fresh news And Assembly Election Live Updates Here.