Every day the conflict in Ukraine rages on, the headlines get darker.
Since Russia’s massive invasion on February 24, the world has been holding its breath and hoping this doesn’t come to the worst.
Despite signs that Russia and Ukraine might be able to come to the negotiating table, talks have not led to any concrete results.
A recent call between French leader Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin went very badly. Now, frightening news is coming out of Ukraine about a Russian attack on a large nuclear power plant.
Russia Hits Nuclear Reactor at Zaporizhzhia
The city of Enerhodar is located in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia state (oblast).
It’s located about three hours south of the city of Dnipro and nine hours southeast of the capital of Kiev. Enerhodar is the site of a large nuclear power plant that was hit hard by Russia, early on Friday.
Shelling reportedly started hitting the plant and causing a fire on the non-operational plant, which is full of nuclear fuel that could now be in serious danger of causing a massive radioactive leak.
According to Ukraine’s foreign minister, this disaster could be ten times worse than the Chernobyl meltdown that devastated Ukraine and eastern Europe in 1986 and for years afterward.
Around one-quarter of all energy in Ukraine comes from this exact power plant, which is why it’s believed Russian troops were ordered to attack it. According to Ukraine, the heat signatures clearly showed tanks and troops that it was nuclear, but they fired anyway.
The plant director says nobody has been able to approach and put out the fires because Russians shoot at them if they try.
BREAKING – Ukraine's FM confirms Zaporizhzhia fire:
"If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!" – Kuleba says
— Phil Stewart (@phildstewart) March 4, 2022
Ukraine FM: Russia Must Stop Shooting
Ukraine’s foreign minister is a man by the name of Dmytro Kuleba; he’s outraged and terrified about what’s happening. He’s demanding Russia back off and stop shooting so firefighters can go in and douse the flames.
Kuleba said he “demands” that Russia cease all shootings in the area and authorities are warning just how bad this could get if they do not.
This is the largest nuclear power plant on the European continent. If it blows, then it would be on a scale larger than Chernobyl. It would cause untold cancer, birth defects, deaths, and destruction across Europe.
The city where this plant is located is also the site of some combat right now between Ukraine troops and Russia, which is part of why it’s been so hard to get to the fires.
The energy company running the plant also said “many” men with AK-47s and “athletic clothes” streamed into the city, trying to infiltrate the area and get a strategic foothold.
This bizarre military operation was then followed up with a tank and armored vehicle assault attacking the plant.
Zelenskyy released a 2:30 video on the attack at the nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia. Here's a rough, quick translation. He says the biggest power plant in Europe is on fire and Russian tanks are firing at it, says they have thermal imagery so they know what they are shooting at.
— Lydia Tomkiw (@lydiatomkiw) March 4, 2022
