Europe’s largest nuclear power plant is on fire after an attack by Russian troops invading Ukraine, a plant spokesman said Friday.
“As a result of shelling by Russian forces on the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, a fire broke out,” spokesman Andrei Tuz said in a video posted on the plant’s Telegram account.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Russian troops to stop attacking Europe’s largest nuclear power plant on Friday after a fire broke out.
“If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire,” Kuleba tweeted.
Meanwhile, the EU on Thursday agreed to approve temporary protection for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine — so far numbered at one million — while also setting up a humanitarian hub in Romania.
The moves by the European Union came in parallel to its sanctions on Russia imposed in successive waves over the course of the invasion, now in its eighth day.
In Washington, the administration of President Joe Biden announced a similar move, granting temporary protected status to Ukrainians already in the country. That means they can remain in the US and the threat of deportation is lifted.