Part of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya (central Ukraine), the largest of its kind in Europe, is in flames after a bombardment by the Russian army, the plant's spokesman, Andriy Tuz, and the mayor of the nearby town of Energodar, Dmitry Orlov, said.
"Following a bombardment by Russian forces against the nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhya, a fire broke out," Andriy Tuz said in a video uploaded to the facility's account on the Telegram platform.
According to Dmitry Orlov, fighting between Russian troops and Ukrainian forces is raging in the area and there are casualties. The envoy did not give details or an account.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba accused the Russian army of opening fire on the factory from all sides.
He said a fire has already broken out and warned that if there is an explosion at the plant, things will be ten times worse than at Chernobyl, where one of the worst nuclear accidents in history unfolded.
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy demanded that Russia's armed forces cease fire immediately, allow firefighters to intervene at the plant and set up a security perimeter.
The mayor of the city of Enerzhodar said late Thursday night that Russian troops were heading for the nearby Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the largest not only in Ukraine but also in Europe.
Ukrainian authorities said Russian troops were stepping up their efforts to seize the nuclear power plant after they stormed the town of Enerzhodar with tanks.
"Heavy gunfire can be heard in the city," Mayor Nitro Orlov wrote in an online post.
Elevated levels of radiation
A Ukrainian official, who was not named, told the U.S. news agency Associated Press that elevated levels of radiation are being recorded in the area where Europe's largest nuclear plant is located, in Zaporizhzhya (central) - where Ukrainian authorities say a plant was "hit by Russian fire" and part of the facility is in flames.
Earlier, Ukrainian authorities had made it known that the Russian army had intensified its attempt to take over the facility and that it had deployed several tanks in the area.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now entered its ninth day.
Source: APE
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