The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky today shared a video clip on Instagram in which it was alleged that the Russian troops have attacked the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. A live feed of the site earlier appeared to show blasts at the site, with fire lighting up the night sky and plumes of rising smoke.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Russia’s military to immediately halt firing on the plant and to allow a security zone to be established in a message posted to Twitter. President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as reports emerged about the attack on the nuclear plant, a White House official said.
"As a result of shelling by Russian forces on the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, a fire broke out," spokesman Andrei Tuz said in a video posted on the plant's Telegram account.
Earlier the International Atomic Energy Agency had raised the alarm after Russian troops entered the nearby town of Enerhodar in southern Ukraine.
IAEA director Rafael Mariano Grossi urged an "immediate halt to the use of force at Enerhodar and called on the military forces operating there to refrain from violence near the nuclear power plant", the agency said in a statement.
A live-streamed security camera linked from the homepage of the nuclear power plant showed what appeared to be armoured vehicles rolling into the facility's parking lot and shining spotlights on the building where the camera was mounted.
There are then what appear to be bright muzzle flashes from vehicles and then nearly simultaneous explosions in the surrounding buildings. Smoke then rises and drifts across the frame.
The UN's atomic watchdog urged Russian forces to stop attacking a Ukrainian nuclear power plant on Friday, warning of "severe danger" if the reactors were hit.
"IAEA Director General @RafaelMGrossi speaks with #Ukraine PM Denys Shmygal and with Ukrainian nuclear regulator and operator about serious situation at #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, appeals for halt of use of force and warns of severe danger if reactors hit," the International Atomic Energy Agency tweeted.
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified strikes across the country, with fresh reports of civilian casualties and devastating damage, even as Moscow agreed to a Ukrainian request for humanitarian corridors to allow terrified residents to flee.
*With inputs from agencies
