Russian troops occupy Ukrainian nuclear plant

The largest nuclear power plant in Europe was occupied by Russian forces in recent attack resulting in huge fire.

Intense fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops around Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has led to huge fire in the area, raising concerns over elevated radiation levels or even potential nuclear disaster. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished and no sign of increased radiation wad found, said U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Zaporizhzhia provides more than a fifth of Ukraine's total power. The power plant is now operating within normal limits.

“(Nuclear power plant) personnel are on their working places providing normal operation of the station”, officials declared.

After intense fighting over the plant, the Russian army has occupied Zaporizhzhia and surrounding areas.

"Europeans, please wake up. Tell your politicians – Russian troops are shooting at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskiy commented in a video released after the incident.

The event triggered Asian financial markets to tumble and oil prices to surge. 

"Markets are worried about nuclear fallout. The risk is that there is a miscalculation or over-reaction and the war prolongs," commented Vasu Menon, from OCBC Bank.

Immediately after the news about the nuclear plant attack was released, both U.S. President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson contacted President Zelenskiy for updates on the situation. President Putin’s move was regarded as “reckless”, "barbaric and unacceptable" and condemned by the vast majority of the world leaders.

However, Ukrainian authorities had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency  (IAEA) that "essential" equipment inside Zaporizhzhia was unaffected.

Meanwhile, the port city of Mariupol remains encircled by Russian forces and targetted by intense strikes, the city of Kharkiv is heavily shelled, but Ukrainians still resist the attacks, and the town of Borodyanka has been assaulted. Capital Kyiv has also been shelled, as Russian troops are now 25 km (16 miles) from the city centre.

In the light of escalating events, the chess champion Garry Kasparov, a known activist against the Russian regime, commented: 

"Russia should be thrown back into the Stone Age to make sure that the oil and gas industry and any other sensitive industries that are vital for survival of the regime cannot function without Western technological support.”

According to data from the U.N. human rights office, 249 civilians have been killed and 553 injured in the first 7 days of escalating conflict.  Yet, thousands of people are believed to have lost their lives and more than 1 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the war began.

 

source: reuters.com