Zelensky: Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia plant is 'nuclear terrorism'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a grim message for European leaders early Friday, after Russian forces attacked the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, causing a fire at the facility.

"Europe must wake up now," Zelensky said. "The largest nuclear station in Europe is on fire. Right now Russian tanks are shelling nuclear units. These are the tanks that have thermal vision, so they know where they are shelling. They prepared for it."

The world knows what happened in the wake of the Chernobyl nuclear accident and the suffering of victims, Zelensky said. "It was a global disaster," he continued. "Hundreds of thousands of people fought against its consequences. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated. Russia wants to repeat it but six times harder."

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Zelensky called on the citizens of Europe to "wake up. Tell your politicians Russian troops are shelling Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, the city of Enerhodar. There are six energy units. Six. One unit exploded in Chernobyl. We warn everyone that not a single nation ever shelled nuclear power stations. For the first time in the history of humankind, the terrorist state commits nuclear terrorism."

No one knows how the fire at Zaporizhzhia will end, Zelensky said, before warning that if "there will be an explosion, it will be the end to all of us, the end of Europe, the evacuation of Europe. Only immediate action of Europe can stop Russian troops and prevent the death of Europe from the disaster at a nuclear station."