Russian forces took control of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant Friday after their attack on the site sparked a fire and fears of nuclear meltdown, but seemingly released no radiation.
The blaze at the Zaporizhzhia plant, located in Ukraine’s southeast, was extinguished early Friday but not before it spread concerns about the potential for catastrophic fallout across the continent. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who previously raised the specter of nuclear war over Europe, said Friday he had “no bad intention” toward neighboring countries but warned against doing anything that might “escalate the situation.”
With the invasion entering its second week, he has intensified his assault on Ukraine and deepened a crackdown on dissent at home. Russian forces made gains in Ukraine’s south and besieged major cities, worsening a grave humanitarian crisis despite some progress in talks between the two countries.
Local officials and the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog reported that the plant was secured, but Zelensky urged European leaders to “wake up” and stop Russia’s military “before this becomes a nuclear disaster.” President Biden said after speaking with Zelensky over the phone that Russia should “cease its military activities” at the plant.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who also spoke with Zelensky, is seeking an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting in the coming hours over the shelling. Meanwhile, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said in a Friday intelligence update that the southeastern city of “Mariupol remains under Ukrainian control but has likely been encircled” by Russian forces. “The city’s civilian infrastructure has been subjected to intense Russian strikes,” the MoD added.
