The Russian army took control, Friday, March 4, of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporijia, raising fears for the security of the site. A fire broke out in the morning in a training center of the plant, but the Ukrainian authorities then assured that it had been extinguished and that the plant was operating normally. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its part assured that the security of the plant was not threatened. Concern remains, however, regarding the site’s mode of operation with Ukrainian personnel under Russian control.
Petro Kotin is the chairman of Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom, which operates the country’s nuclear power plants. In an interview given to World Friday, March 4, he asserts that the Russians have “bombarded the entire area of the power plant” and that the management of the site is now working under their armed threat. Currently, a team of 800 people works at the plant, which has a total of 11,000 employees.
What exactly happened in the plant on the night of Thursday March 3 to Friday March 4?
The Russians bombed the entire area of the plant, the administrative building itself, the entrance to the site, in the security zone, and the building dedicated to training, located near the administrative building. They started bombing at 1:42 a.m. and ended in the early morning, following breaking the secure entrance and entering the plant. Then they took over. There have been no more bombings since.
Was it shelling or just shooting?
Both. There were bombings. They also fired from their tanks and infantry vehicles. According to our first information, there are three dead and two wounded, one of whom is between life and death. The three dead are plant employees, but it is unclear at this time whether they are security guards or plant personnel – this is being verified.
What are the damages?
Reactor number 1 was hit by a bombardment but seems intact, according to our first information, because the protective walls of the six reactors are very thick. A special pipe that connects the reactors to the processing buildings, where the radioactive water is purified and then returned to the reactors, was also damaged by these bombardments. There is no radioactive leak, but the risk exists.
The training building was completely destroyed by the bombardments. This caused a big fire. The Russians initially prevented the firefighters from accessing the site to put it out.
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