The local military-civilian administration indicated that it was forced to shut down power supply lines “necessary for energy supply and safe operation” of the Zaporizhia plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, following the attack.
Officials said in a statement on the social network Telegram that they are taking all necessary steps to quickly normalize the operation of the plant located in the south of the country.
Local authorities believe that the Ukrainian military deliberately attacked the power lines with the intention of creating a threat to the population of the territory located near the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
In response, Ukraine accused the Russians of an attack near the nuclear reactor.
“Today, three attacks were reported near one of the nuclear reactors,” Energoatom, the Ukrainian state company that manages the country’s nuclear power plants, announced on the Telegram network.
“There are risks of hydrogen leakage and spewing of radioactive materials. Fire risk is high,” the company said, without mentioning any casualties.
In early March, the Russian military occupied the facilities of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, where heavy fighting took place in the first weeks of the war.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken accused Russia of using the nuclear plant as a military base to carry out attacks. [os ucranianos] Shots cannot be answered because they might hit a nuclear reactor or highly radioactive debris.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24 has already forced nearly 17 million people from their homes – more than six million internally displaced people and more than ten million to neighboring countries – according to the latest UN data. The refugee crisis is the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
According to the United Nations, about 16 million people in Ukraine are in need of humanitarian assistance.
UN Counting more than 5,300 civilian deaths, the actual numbers must be much higher, but are known only during access to occupied territories or during intense fighting.
