Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant narrowly averted a nuclear accident.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the nuclear facility that had been occupied by Russia was cut off from Ukraine’s power grid on Thursday. It put Europe in danger of a radiation catastrophe. He continued that the Zaporizhzhia plant was only able to run safely because backup electricity started up.
Overhead power wires were destroyed by fires earlier, turning off the facility. Fighting close to the complex, which is the biggest nuclear plant in Europe, is causing rising alarm.
“Russia has put Ukrainians as well as all Europeans one step away from (a) radiation disaster. If our station staff had not reacted after the blackout, then we would have already been forced to overcome the consequences of a radiation accident,” said Zelensky.
“We would have been forced to overcome the consequences of a radiation accident”: Zelensky on Zaporizhzhia blackout
The nuclear power plant’s energy had been disconnected, according to information from Ukraine. Back in February, when President Putin began his “special military operation” against Ukraine, Russia had already taken control of the factory. Employees from Ukraine run the factory. IAEA demanded access to the location amid worries about a catastrophic meltdown.
“If the diesel generators hadn’t turned on, if the automation and our staff of the plant had not reacted after the blackout, then we would already be forced to overcome the consequences of the radiation accident,” said Zelensky on Thursday, 25 August.
In the meantime, President Biden told the Ukrainian president over the phone that Russia should permit UN nuclear inspectors to visit the site.
While adding that “no country should turn a nuclear power plant into an active war zone,” the US had stated that the electricity generated at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant belonged to Ukraine. The US claimed that no “abnormal radiation levels” have been found at the plant.