Fire at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Extinguished

The press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been completely extinguished.

Photo: Internet

It was previously reported that a fire occurred at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine on the night of March 4, as a result of shelling by Russian troops.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video of the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on his Instagram page. “Right now!!! Russia is shelling the nuclear power plant in Ukraine!!!” – he wrote.

President Zelensky stated that he urgently contacted European leaders, Joe Biden, and the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi.

“Europe must wake up now! The largest nuclear power plant in Europe is on fire, nuclear blocks are being shelled right now. These are tanks equipped with thermal imaging, meaning they know where they are shooting, they were prepared for this,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry warned that an explosion at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which could occur due to the fire from the shelling by Russian troops, would be ten times more powerful than the Chernobyl disaster.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe by installed capacity. It is located on the banks of the Kakhovka Reservoir in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine in the city of Enerhodar.

Each year, the plant generates about 40 billion kWh of electricity, which accounts for one-fifth of the annual electricity production in Ukraine.

On February 28, 2022, according to the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Igor Konashenkov, Russian military personnel established full control over the territory around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The Ukrainian side did not confirm this information.

Since the morning of February 24, 2022, the advance of Russian troops in Ukraine has not ceased. Putin stated that the special military operation is proceeding strictly according to schedule, as planned, and all assigned tasks are being successfully resolved.

However, Zelensky and several European leaders, including those from the United Kingdom, refuted Putin’s claims and stated that Russia intended to fully occupy Ukraine using ground troops in the first days, but the resistance of the army and the population thwarted Putin’s plans.