Ukraine and Russia swap accusations over fire at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Adds comment from Rosatom chief in paragraphs 5-6
Cause of fire unclear
Russia and Ukraine trade blame
IAEA head says attacks endanger nuclear safety, must stop
Russia says cooling tower may need replacing
Aug 12 (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine accused each other of starting a fire at the dormantRussian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine on Sunday, butboth sides reportedno sign of elevated radiation.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear watchdog said its staff hadseen thick, dark smoke coming from the northern partof the vast six-reactor plant in southern Ukraine, currently in "cold shutdown", aftermultiple blasts.
"These reckless attacks endanger nuclear safety at the plant and increase the risk of a nuclear accident. They must stop now," IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned in a separate statement, without attributing blame.
The fire comes less than a week after Ukraine's forces launched their largest incursion into Russian territory since the war started in 2022.
Interfax news agency quoted Alexei Likhachev, head of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, as saying the fire had burned for about three hours and caused "very serious damage" to the cooling towers.
He said, without providing evidence, that it had been caused by two Ukrainian drone strikes. It was not clear whether the damage was reparable or whether one of the towers might need to be replaced, he added.
Ukraine's nuclear power company Energoatom said in a statement that one of the cooling towers and other equipment were damaged.
Grossi said the IAEA hadrequested "immediate access" to the tower to assess the damage. There was no immediate response from Moscow or Kyiv to Grossi's statement.
Russia captured the plant from Ukraine shortly after launching a full-scale invasion ofits smaller neighbour in 2022,which it calls a "special military operation".
SMOKE APPEARS TO BILLOW FROM COOLING TOWER
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of lighting the fire, which he said was visible from the Kyiv-held city of Nikopol, overlookingthe Russian-held plant. It started at around 8 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Sunday.
The IAEA said no impact on nuclear safety had been reported.
"Team was told by (the nuclear plant) of an alleged drone attack today on one of the cooling towers located at the site," it wrote on X.
Ukraine's Energoatom said Russian "negligence" or arson could have sparked the fire. Without providing evidence, it also said Russia used the cooling towers to store military equipment and explosives.
RussianForeign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Kyiv of deliberately trying to destroy the plant and sow "nuclear terror".
Zelenskiy published grainy video showing black smoke apparently belchingout ofa cooling tower with a fireburning at its base.
"Currently, the radiation indicators are normal. But as long as Russian terrorists retain control over the nuclear plant, the situation is not and cannot be normal," he said.
The six dormantreactors, located close to the front line of the war, rely on external power to keep theirnuclear material cool and prevent a catastrophic accident.
Moscow and Kyiv have routinely accused each other of endangering safety around the plant.
Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Yuliia Dysa; Writing by Lidia Kelly and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kevin Liffey
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
