Zelensky called the nuclear plant attack an act of “terrorism.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that the Russian attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, could have caused destruction equivalent to “six Chernobyls”.
Russian forces took control of the plant, located in southeastern Ukraine, on Friday after attacking it and thereby causing a fire that was already put out.
After the initial concern about the potential damage from the fire, the plant authorities assured that the nuclear safety of the plant is guaranteed.
The announcement was followed by the president’s televised speech, who warned that Ukraine survived “the night that could have stopped the course of history: the history of Ukraine, the history of Europe.”
Russian forces take control of Zaporizhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
He also claimed that Russia knew what it was doing when it aimed shells directly at the nuclear plant, calling it an act of “terrorism from an unprecedented level”.
Then, turning to the Russians, he said: “How is this possible? Didn’t we fight together against the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe in 1986?”
The former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the scene of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history and located about 130 km north of Kiev, has been under Russian control since Thursday.
“Radiation does not know where Russia is. Radiation does not know the borders of our country,” Zelensky added, urging Russian citizens to “go out into the streets” and claim to their government that they “want to live.”
Zelensky, this Friday, March 4, in a televised speech.
Zelensky says he is in contact with world leaders, who he said were “shocked” by developments around the nuclear plant.
has also asked a no-fly zone on Ukraine and sanctions against a “nuclear terrorist state”. “The radiation doesn’t know where Russia is; the radiation doesn’t know the borders of your countries,” she added.
The International Atomic Energy Agency noted that essential equipment at the Zaporizhia nuclear plant is operational and radiation remains at normal levels.
But it said it was in “24/7 full response mode” due to the “serious situation” at the plant.
In addition, the Ukrainian president said at a press conference this Thursday in Kiev that the direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin they are “the only way to stop this war”.
“We are not attacking Russia and we do not plan to attack it. My God! What do you want from us? Leave our land. If you do not want to leave now, sit with me at the negotiating table,” he declared.
Zelensky also called on the West to send fighter jets to Ukraine.
“If they do not have the power to close the heavens [hacer cumplir una zona de exclusión aérea sobre Ucrania]then, give up planes“, he said. “If we are not more now, God forbid, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will be next [en la invasión rusa]”.
Those countries are part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which means that if Russia were to invade one of them, it would be at war with all members of the military alliance.
Putin said his operation “is going according to plan.”
Also Thursday in another televised address, Russian President Vladimir Putin said his “special military operation” – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – “is going according to plan.”
He added that Russians and Ukrainians were “one people” and said he would “destroy this ‘anti-Russia’ created by the West.”
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