MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Real threat of nuclear danger” after Russian attack: Putin's forces control Europe's largest nuclear power plant

Surveillance camera footage shows a flare landing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant during shelling

A Russian bombardment hit the Energodar nuclear power plant in the Zaporizhzhia region, Europe's largest in southeastern Ukraine, last night. The attack unleashed a fire that threatens to cause a disaster ten times larger than Chernobyl in 1986, the city's mayor, Dmitry Orlov, reported via his Telegram account. “The reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe,” United Kingdom's prime minister, Boris Johnson, warned in a statement.

“Threat to world security! As a result of continuous enemy shelling of buildings and units of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire,” mayor Orlov wrote.

Following the incidents, the country's State Emergency Service noted that there are no casualties and firefighters have already managed to extinguish the flames at the complex.

Earlier in the morning in Ukraine, local authorities have assured that Russian troops are in control of the nuclear facilities. In the early hours of the morning, Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky accused Moscow of “nuclear terrorism” and of wanting to “repeat Chernobyl”.

Zelenski has had a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden as well as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson following the incident in Zaporizhzhia. “The prime minister said the reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe,” Downing Street warned in a statement on Friday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, an agency belonging to the UN, has warned of a “grave danger” in case the reactor was affected by the flames, although it has assured that the Ukrainians have informed them that no “essential” equipment was damaged in the complex.

The National Guard confirmed the fire at the plant on its official Telegram channel and stressed that “representatives of the plant state that there is currently a real threat of nuclear danger.”

“There is a fire at the base of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Despite this, the enemy continues to fire in the direction of the station,” he noted.

The mayor of Energodar had reported hours earlier heavy fighting on the approaches to the nuclear power station.

“Fierce fighting has been going on for more than an hour at the approaches to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station. Our National Guards are holding the defense,” he said.