Russia bombs Europe’s largest nuclear power plant: urgent UN meeting

The Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, the largest in Europe, has been bombed tonight by missiles and tank shells of the Russian Army, as reported by the Kiev authorities. Volodímir Zelenski, president of Ukraine, has informed Joe Biden and Boris Johnson, his counterparts in the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively, by telephone of what has happened, which has caused them to The UN Security Council has called an emergency meeting.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after speaking with the President of Ukraine about what happened at the nuclear power plant, assured that will seek “an emergency meeting with the UN Security Council in the next few hours”. An issue that will be raised “immediately” with Russia and its allies. “Johnson said the UK would do everything it can to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate further“, points out a spokesman for the British Government. According to the prime minister, Putin’s actions “could directly threaten the security of the whole of Europe“.

Although there is a continuous launching of projectiles towards the plant, this morning the attack has increased and a missile has hit one of the administrative buildings of the central, as captured by security cameras. This has generated a fire and has had to shut down one of the reactors for safetysince the firefighters were slow to access the plant due to the bombing.

Dmitro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, has issued a warning through his official Twitter account: “The Russian Army is bombing the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, from all sides. If it explodes, it will be (a catastrophe) ten times bigger than Chernobyl! The Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease fire!”

The third largest plant in the world

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has assured that “the fire in the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant area has not affected the main equipment of the plant“, although it has not yet been completely extinguished. The plant is in the city of Energodar and its mayor, Dmitro Orlov, has reported that the Ukrainian forces are defending the attack. “They are suffering casualties although we do not yet know the exact number“, has explained.

The Zaporizhia plant has six of the fifteen operating reactors in the entire country, making it the main energy supplier of the territoryin addition to being the largest in the continent and the third in the world, after the Japanese Kashiwazaki-Kariwa and the Bruce nuclear power plant, located in Canada. It is a key facility for the country, since it is estimated that it generates half of Ukraine’s nuclear electricity and more than a fifth of its total energy. “We warn everyone that no other country except Russia has ever fired on nuclear power plants. It is the first time in our history, the first time in the history of mankind. This terrorist state now resorts to nuclear terror“Zelenski warns in a video released by the Ukrainian Presidency itself. Moscow has not yet ruled on the matter.

Russia takes control

The Russian Army continues its advance in Ukraine and in the last few hours it has seized the control of this nuclear power plant after taking over the Chernobyl facilities. Confirmation comes from Ukraine’s state nuclear regulator, who ensures that the plant’s staff monitors the state of the blocks and guarantees its correct operation.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine has confirmed that there have been no casualties in the attack. “As of 0620 hours, the fire in the training building of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Energodar has been extinguished. no victims“, they have reported in a statement. Likewise, no increases in radiation levels have been observedaccording to the Secretary of Energy of the United States, Jennifer Granholm.

On the other hand, a first report on the status of the plant confirms that “reactors remain intact”although there has been damage to the building of the reactor compartment of power unit number 1, “which do not affect the safety of the reactor“.

international response

The reactions to this attack have not been long in coming throughout the globe. From China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, urges both parties to the conflict to guarantee the security of the facilities. “We will monitor the situation and we will ask all parties to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and ensure the safety of relevant nuclear facilities“. The country’s executive, for the time being, has refused to condemn the attack on Ukraine or qualify it as an invasion, although they are “very concerned” about the situation.

For his part, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assures that this attack reflects the “recklessness” of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “This just shows the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it and Russia withdraws all its troops and engages in good faith diplomatic efforts“. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president has condemned the fact that “no other country, except Russia, has ever fired on nuclear power plants.

Zelensky accuses Putin of wanting to “repeat” the Chernobyl disaster. “These tanks are equipped with thermal sights, so they know what they’re doing, they were prepared.” And from the United States, the Secretary of State Antony Blinkenstressed the defensive nature of NATO, although he assures “if conflict comes to us, we are prepared for itwe will defend every inch of NATO territory.”