Russia, Ukraine exchange accusations around fire at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

(MENAFN) On Sunday, both Moscow and Kyiv exchanged accusations regarding a fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which is currently under Russian control. The fire, which broke out on the grounds of the plant, sparked concerns about potential radiation exposure, though both sides have reported no signs of elevated radiation levels. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has a monitoring presence at the site, observed strong, dark smoke emanating from the northern part of the facility following multiple explosions.

Russian state news agencies reported that Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear energy company, indicated that the primary fire was extinguished shortly before midnight on Sunday. The incident at the nuclear plant occurred less than a week after Ukraine’s forces launched their largest incursion into Russian territory since the onset of the war in 2022. This major offensive has introduced a new phase into the ongoing conflict, particularly after a period marked by notable battlefield gains by Moscow.

In response to the fire, Ukraine’s nuclear power company, Energoatom, released a statement via the Telegram messaging app, indicating that one of the plant’s cooling towers and other equipment sustained damage. Concurrently, Russian news outlets reported that a cooling tower was indeed damaged, though they emphasized that it was a non-functioning tower. The conflicting reports underscore the tensions between the two sides over the situation at the plant.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was captured by Russian forces shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Despite the capture, the facility’s six nuclear reactors have remained in cold shutdown, minimizing the immediate risk of a nuclear incident. The ongoing conflict around the plant continues to raise concerns about the safety and stability of one of Europe’s critical nuclear infrastructure sites.

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