The Russian army bombed the site of the Pivdennukrainsk nuclear power plant in the Mykolaiv region of southern Ukraine, but the reactors were not hit and are functioning normally, Ukrainian state-owned Energyatom said on Monday (September 19).
An explosion occurred 300 meters from the reactors and damaged buildings at the plant, the operator said in a statement. The bombardment also damaged a nearby hydroelectric power station and power lines.
No dead or injured
“On September 19, 2022 at 00:20 local time (Sunday 2120 GMT), the Russian military shelled the industrial zone of the Pivdennonoukrainsk nuclear power plant”said Energoatom on Telegram. “A massive explosion occurred just 300 meters from the reactors”he specified.
“Currently, the three reactors of the plant are running in regular operation”assured the public operator that the bombardment had caused no deaths or injuries.
The strike blew out around 100 windows in the power plant building and caused a brief disruption of three high-voltage power lines at the power plant, according to the same source.
“We have to stop this”
“Russia endangers the whole world. We have to stop it until it’s too late.”launched Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Telegram, who published black-and-white surveillance video showing a large explosion.
Another Ukrainian nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe and Russian-occupied Zaporijjia, had already been the target of bombings in recent months, raising serious concerns in the West.
Kyiv and Moscow have blamed each other for the strikes and accused each other of risking a nuclear incident.
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