“For the first time in the history of humankind, the terrorist state commits nuclear terrorism,” said Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its ninth day, with significantly dramatic and troubling events unfolding overnight.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of resorting to “nuclear terrorism” following the seizure of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, located in Zaporizhzhia, which was subjected to an apparent targeted assault by Russian forces.
Reports of the attack began to emerge around approximately midnight Irish time on Thursday, 3 March.
Following shelling, Ukrainian authorities said that a fire at the plant is now under control following a blaze that lasted for four hours before finally being extinguished at 6.20am local time.
Zaporizhzhia NPP is under fire! The entire Europe is at risk of a repeat of the nuclear catastrophe. Russians must stop fire! pic.twitter.com/P46YxKZZ0W
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) March 4, 2022
It is understood that facility staff continue to operate the reactor, despite the presence of invading Russian personnel.
Although radiation levels are understood to be normal, many nuclear experts have noted that it is too early to understand the full extent of the danger.
Experts have also posited the Zaporizhzhia plant is safer than the defunct Chernobyl facility, which has already been captured by Russian troops.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has placed its emergency centre into “full 24/7 response mode” due to the event.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence has stated that the Ukrainian city of Mariupol is under siege as Russian forces close in on the region as of Friday morning.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 04 March 2022
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/vHxz2SoCNW
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/zzFeOi729Y
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 4, 2022
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has described the assault as unprecedented.
“We warn everyone that not a single nation ever shelled nuclear power stations,” he said.
“For the first time in the history of humankind, the terrorist state commits nuclear terrorism.”
The incident at Zaporizhzhia arrived just hours after French president Emmanuel Macron expressed his fears that the “worst is yet to come” for Ukraine following his latest conversation with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Macron said that Putin’s end goal is for Russia to seize control and occupy all of Ukraine.
Speaking on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1 on Friday, Ukrainian politician Sviatoslav Yurash outlined the severity of the latest escalation of the conflict.
“The amount of global threat that this represents is hard to estimate, hard to truly describe, but Russia is putting it all on the table and we are reciprocating by bringing the fight to the very last.”
“This is a war zone,” he continued.
“Russia started the whole ordeal. The reality is that nothing can assure you right now and the only reports we are getting right now are from the Russians themselves.
“My nation will not go down without a fight,” Yurash added.
The assault on the Zaporizhzhia station has been condemned by world leaders, who continue to call for an immediate ceasefire.
In response, a special meeting of G7 leaders is set to take place.
US president Joe Biden has condemned the assault and urged Russian military forces to withdraw.
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