Fire breaks out at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant amid shelling


A fire has broken out at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said early Friday morning, following shelling by Russian forces.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) tweeted that Ukraine's nuclear regulator said there is "no change reported in radiation levels" at the site. The Associated Press reports that a spokesman for Zaporizhzhia told Ukrainian media that shells falling on the facility started a fire at one of its six reactors. He said the reactor is being renovated and is not operating, but does contain nuclear fuel.
Zaporizhzhia is the largest nuclear plant in Europe, and Kuleba warned in a tweet that "if it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chernobyl!! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The plant is in southeastern Ukraine, near the city of Enerhodar. The mayor of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlov, posted on Facebook that the fire started "as a result of relentless shelling" by Russians, adding, "there are victims, but the exact number and condition so far cannot be determined under the circumstances."
The White House said it is monitoring the situation and President Biden has called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the matter.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Ottawa Treaty: why are Russia's neighbours leaving anti-landmine agreement?
Today's Big Question Ukraine to follow Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as Nato looks to build a new ‘Iron Curtain' of millions of landmines
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
How far would Russia go for Iran?
Today's Big Question US air strikes represent an 'embarrassment, provocation and opportunity' all rolled into one for Vladimir Putin
-
Are the UK and Russia already at war?
Today's Big Question Moscow has long been on a 'menacing' war footing with London, says leading UK defence adviser
-
Is UK's new defence plan transformational or too little, too late?
Today's Big Question Labour's 10-year strategy 'an exercise in tightly bounded ambition' already 'overshadowed by a row over money'
-
How will the MoD's new cyber command unit work?
Today's Big Question Defence secretary outlines plans to combat 'intensifying' threat of cyberattacks from hostile states such as Russia
-
What are the different types of nuclear weapons?
The Explainer Speculation mounts that post-war taboo on nuclear weapons could soon be shattered by use of 'battlefield' missiles