Below please find a recent Associated Press account of the war in Ukraine, and another in the French newspaper Le Monde of the Russian attack on the large nuclear plant in southeast Ukraine. Other reports may follow. — MCM
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Russia attacks Ukraine nuclear plant as invasion advances
By Jim Heinz, Yuras Karmanau and Mstyslav Chernov | Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine — Russian forces shelled Europe’s largest nuclear plant early Friday, sparking a fire as they pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city and gained ground in their bid to cut off the country from the sea.
Leading nuclear authorities were concerned — but not panicked — about the damage to the power station. The assault triggered phone calls between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden and other world leaders. The U.S. Department of Energy activated its nuclear incident response team as a precaution.
The attack on the eastern city of Enerhodar and its Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant unfolded as the invasion entered its second week and another round of talks between the two sides yielded a tentative agreement to set up safe corridors to evacuate citizens and deliver humanitarian aid.
Nuclear plant spokesman Andriy Tuz told Ukrainian television that shells were falling directly on the facility and had set fire to one of its six reactors. That reactor is under renovation and not operating, but there is nuclear fuel inside, he said. READ MORE . . .
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By Faustine Vincent | Le Monde
The Russian army Friday seized Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant, Zaporijia in southeast Ukraine city of Enerhodar, it was announced by regional authorities, who said plant personnel were inspecting the reactors to assure that security protocols are respected. The plant, which has six nuclear reactors, was hit during the night by Russian strikes. A fire ignited in one building raised fears of an immense nuclear catastrophe.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter during the night: “The Russian army fired from all sides on the Zaporijia nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe. Fire was reported. If the plant explodes, it will be six times as big as intense as Chernobyl! The Russians must immediately cease firing, let firefighters enter, and establish a security zone.
The international Atomic Energy Agency called for “a ceasing of the use of force” and warned of “grave danger if the reactors are hit.” Its director general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, was to hold a news conference in the morning.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian tanks opened fire on the plant. “These tanks are equipped with thermal sights, so they know what they’re doing; they were prepared,” he said in a video. For a time, Russian soldiers prevented rescue services from entering the site to extinguish the fire; they were able to access the site only in early morning.
After several hours of uncertainty the complex was secured and the reactors completely secured, U.S. and Ukrainian officials said. The fire, which claimed no victims, was extinguished by Ukrainian firefighters at 6:20 a.m. local time. It involved a building dedicated to training and a laboratory. Ukrainian authorities said the attack involve no “essential” plant installation, and nuclear security was was not affected. Le Monde subscribers can READ MORE in French.
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