Emergency services access Zaporizhzhia fire

Ukraine said emergency services were able to access the Zaporizhzhia
nuclear plant where a training facility on the exterior of the facility
caught fire following Russian shelling.

Both the IAEA and the White House said they were actively monitoring the
attack on Europe's largest nuclear plant and that there has not been an
increase in radiation levels.

Fire breaks out at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after shelling

Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, tweeted, "Russian army is firing
from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in
Europe. Fire has already broke out."

Kuleba added, "If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than
Chernobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters,
establish a security zone!"

Ukraine's energy ministry told Russia's RIA news agency that firefighters
are unable to tend to the blaze at the plant as Russian troops continue
to fire on them.

Plant spokesman Andry Tuz said shells were striking the plant and one of
the six reactors was on fire. He said the reactor that was hit was under
renovation and therefore nonoperational.

Tuz said it was imperative to cease fighting so firefighters could contain
the blaze.

Dmytro Humenyuk of the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear
and Radiation Safety told Hromadske that the power units have several
layers of fuel protection. The plant generates 25% of Ukraine's electricity.

Humenyuk explained that under certain conditions, the power units
can withstand up to 10 tons but are not designed to be hit by bombs or
projectiles. If the reactor is seriously damaged and nuclear fuel exposed,
the resulting catastrophe would be as bad as Chernobyl and if more than
one reactor is hit, the result would be even more horrific.

Warning of a "severe danger" if the nuclear reactors were hit by shelling,
the International Atomic Energy Agency said it was in contact with Ukrainian
authorities.