Fire at Ukrainian nuclear power plant did not release radiation

Firefighters Ukrainians put out this Friday a fire in the largest nuclear power station from Europe, caused by Russian bombing and which did not release radiation, according to United Nations and local officials. Russia he went ahead with his campaign to shut down the country despite global condemnation.

The head of the UN atomic agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said that a Russian “projectile” hit a training center at the Zaporizhzhia plant. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian troops took control of the complex, but the plant’s staff continues to ensure its operation.

The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mariano Grossi, pointed out that Russian forces are in the compound although the Ukrainians were in control.

Ukrainian state nuclear operator Enerhoatom said three Ukrainian soldiers were killed and two others wounded in the attack. According to Grossi, the fire left two people injured.

The Ukrainian state nuclear regulator said there had been no change in radiation levels recorded so far. Grossi later claimed that no radioactive material had been released.

The attack caused worldwide concern and evoked memories of the worst nuclear disaster in history, at the Ukrainian Chernobyl plant.

The attack on the plant coincided with the Russian army’s offensive on the strategic city on the banks of the Dnieper River. Moscow forces gained ground in their attempt to cut off the country’s outlet to the sea, which would be a serious blow to the national economy and aggravate the already complicated humanitarian situation.

At the start of the second week of the invasion, a new round of talks between Russia and Ukraine yielded a provisional agreement to open security corridors to evacuate civilians and receive humanitarian aid.

More than a million people have fled the country since the crackdown began, and many more are sheltering underground night after night. A handful of cities had no heat, and at least one had food and water supply problems.

Initial reports contradicted one or two fires in the Enerhodar city complex. The plant’s spokesman, Andriy Tuz, told Ukrainian television overnight that the shells fell directly on the complex, setting fire to reactor No. 1, which was not operational due to renovation works, and to an administrative building training.

On Friday morning, authorities referred only to the incident at the administration building when they said all fires in the complex were out, something Grossi confirmed. The regional military administration reported unspecified damage to the No. 1 reactor compartment, but noted that it did not affect the unit’s safety.

Regulatory personnel were checking the site for further damage.

Only one of the plant’s reactors is operational, running at about 60% of its capacity, Grossi added.

The confusion highlighted the dangers of fighting in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant. It is the second time since the start of the war that concerns have been raised about a possible nuclear accident or the release of radiation, following a battle at Chernobyl.

In a statement on Facebook, the agency explained the importance of maintaining the ability to cool nuclear fuel and stated that losing this ability could cause an accident more serious than the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the worst in history, or that meltdowns in Fukushima, Japan, in 2011.

In addition, he pointed out that the complex has facilities to store spent nuclear fuel, although there were no indications that these were hit by the bombs.

The main nuclear authorities were concerned, but not scared, about possible damage to the plant. The assault sparked a phone conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his US counterpart Joe Biden and other world leaders. The US Department of Energy activated its nuclear incident response team as a precaution.

The Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration said measurements taken at 7 a.m. Friday showed radiation levels in the area “remain unchanged and do not endanger the life and health of the population.”

Enerhodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov announced Friday morning on his Telegram channel that “the fire (at the nuclear power plant) has been effectively extinguished.” His office told The Associated Press the information came from firefighters who were able to gain access to the complex overnight.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in the “coming hours” to discuss the Russian attack on the plant, according to a statement from his office.

In an emotional speech in the middle of the night, Zelenskyy said he feared an explosion would be “the end for everyone. The end of Europe. The Evacuation of Europe”.

“Only urgent action from Europe can stop the Russian troops,” he said. “Do not allow the death of Europe by a catastrophe in a nuclear power plant.”

But most experts saw no signs of impending disaster. Before the bombing, Ukraine’s state atomic energy company reported the advance of a Russian military column towards the plant. On Thursday night, shots and projectiles could be heard.

Later, security camera footage broadcast live on the Zaporizhzhia plant’s website showed what appeared to be armored vehicles entering the complex’s parking lot. After apparent flashes from the vehicles, there were almost simultaneous explosions in nearby buildings and smoke covered the image before dissipating.

Vladimir Putin’s forces have asserted their superior firepower in recent days, firing hundreds of missiles and artillery shells at cities and other sites across the country and making significant gains in the south.

The Russians announced the capture of the southern city of Kherson, a vital port of 280,000 on the shores of the Black Sea, and local Ukrainian officials confirmed the occupation of the seat of government. It is the first major city to fall since the invasion began a week ago.