Yevgeniy Balitskiy, the so-called Regional Governor of the Zaporizhia region annexed by Russia, made important statements regarding the latest developments at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Balitskiy stated that a fire broke out in the cooling system of the plant as a result of artillery fire by the Ukrainian army.
Is There a Danger of Explosion?
Balitskiy said in his statement, “6 units in the plant are currently in a cold shutdown state, so there is no explosion or other danger,” stressing that the situation is under control. He also reported that radiation levels in the city where the plant is located are at normal levels.
Fire Fighting Works
Stating that efforts to extinguish the fire are ongoing, Balitskiy said firefighting teams took action quickly and the necessary measures were taken to stabilize the situation.
Europe’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant
The Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Located in southeastern Ukraine, the strategic facility came under Russian control in March 2022. Since then, artillery attacks have been frequent in the vicinity of the plant, leading to mutual accusations by both Ukraine and Russia.
The international community, which is closely following developments, continues to monitor the safety and environmental impacts of the Zaporizhia NPP with concern.