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The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, addressed Europe today asking it to “wake up now” to Russia’s “nuclear terrorism,” after Russian forces attacked a nuclear power plant in the country’s southeast, provoking a fire with its projectiles.
“Europe must wake up now! The largest nuclear power plant in Europe is on fire, nuclear units are being disconnected at this very moment,” he said in a video posted on the Telegram account of the presidential office.
He noted that Russian tanks are equipped with thermal imaging cameras so soldiers know where to shoot, which means “they were preparing for it.”
Zelensky addressed all Ukrainians and Europeans, who, he said, perfectly recognize the word “Chernobyl” in reference to the biggest nuclear catastrophe in history that occurred on April 26, 1986. “It was a global catastrophe,” the Ukrainian leader pointed out.
“Russia wants to repeat this and is repeating it, a risk six times worse,” he warned, referring to the number of units at the Energodar nuclear power plant in the Zaporizhzhia region.
“Europeans, wake up, please tell your politicians. Russian troops are bombing the nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar. There are 6 power units; just one power unit exploded at Chernobyl,” the Ukrainian president emphasized.
The general director of the plant, Igor Murashov, pointed out in turn that the safety of the nuclear power plant is compromised, according to his message posted by the Ukrainian Parliament in their Telegram account.
“We do everything possible, but the fire continues. The firefighters have no access. The risks are enormous. The fighting continues. The reactors are in danger,” he warned.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine stated that the fire is “within the norm,” and clarified that it broke out in a building outside the plant itself, a training building that currently occupies up to five floors.
Zelensky explained that he had already contacted the U.S. President, Joe Biden; the President of the European Council, Charles Michel; German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz; Polish President, Andrzej Duda; British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; as well as the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi.
He noted that, “for the first time in our history, in the history of mankind, the terrorist state (Russia) has resorted to nuclear terrorism.”
“We must stop the Russian Army immediately!” he stressed, recalling that Ukraine has 15 nuclear units.
“If there is an explosion, it will be the end of everything, the end of Europe,” he warned, calling for “immediate action” from the Old Continent. “Do not let Europe be exterminated from a nuclear power plant disaster,” Zelensky stated.
The fire is now under control and the plant is out of danger.
