Russian troops attack Europe’s largest power plant in Ukraine
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KYIV – A fire erupted at Europe's largest nuclear power plant following shelling by Russian troops in Ukrainian city of Energodar as the war entered the second week.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that if the Zaporizhzhia power plant "blows up" it will be ten-time disastrous than the Chernobyl incident.
He also urged Moscow to bar troops from firing at the power plant, which is also accounts for one-fourth of total power production in Ukraine, so firefighters could extinguish the blaze.
Plant spokesman Andriy Tuz claimed that the shells directly fell on the Zaporizhzhia plant, breaking out fire at one of the facility's six reactors.
Talking to Ukrainian television, he said that the reactor is currently not operation due to renovation, but nuclear fuel deposits are inside the facility.
The fighting between the forces of two neighbouring countries at Enerhodar came as both sides reached an tentative agreement to establish a safe corridors inside Ukraine to evacuate citizens and deliver humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, world leaders including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged Russia to immediately cease an attack on the nuclear power plant.
"The prime minister said the reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe," Downing Street said.
"He said the UK would do everything it could to ensure the situation did not deteriorate further," it added. "Both leaders agreed a ceasefire was crucial."
