KIEV.- One of the reactors of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, under the control of Russian forces, was stoppedannounced on Saturday the Ukrainian atomic energy company, after bombings of which Ukraine and Russia accuse each other.
“Following the attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the emergency protection system was activated in one of the three operating reactorswhich was turned off,” Energoatom announced in a message on Telegram.
According to the source, the bombings “caused serious damage” to a station containing nitrogen and oxygen and to an “auxiliary building”.
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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was shown on Saturday “alarmed” by the bombings.
Argentine Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear agency, said the attacks represent a “very real risk of a nuclear disaster that threatens public health and the environment in Ukraine.” and beyond the borders of that country.
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“I am extremely concerned about yesterday’s bombing of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant,” Grossi said.
Energoatom has reported that “There are still risks of leakage of hydrogen and radioactive substances. The risk of fire is also high.”
“The bombing caused a serious risk to the safe operation of the plant,” the Ukrainian operator continued, adding that it is, however, still generating electricity and staff continue to work there.
On Friday, Ukrainian authorities accused Russian forces of having carried out three attacks near a reactor at the Zaporizhia plantin the south, despite the fact that Moscow has controlled the territory since the beginning of the invasion.
For its part, the European Union “condemned” Russia’s military activities around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
“It is a serious and irresponsible violation of nuclear safety standards and of a new example of Russia’s contempt for international norms,” said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, from his Twitter account on Saturday.
The Russian army assures for its part that the Ukrainian forces were responsible for these attacks, which caused a fire that has already been extinguished.
On July 21, Russia had already accused the Ukrainian forces of attacking with drones in the territory of this nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.
kyiv affirms that Moscow stores heavy weapons and ammunition in the territory of the plant, which has been occupied since March by Russian forces.
AFP Agency