Russia hits Ukraine’s nuke plant but no radiation released

Kyiv: Ukrainian firefighters on Friday extinguished a blaze at Europe’s biggest nuclear plant that was ignited by Russian shelling, as Russian forces seized control of the site and pressed their campaign to cripple the country despite global condemnation.

Ukraine’s state nuclear regulator said that no changes in radiation levels have been recorded so far after the Zaporizhzhia plant came under attack, and no casualties have been reported. But it caused worldwide concern — and evoked memories of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, at Ukraine’s Chernobyl.

The shelling of the plant came as the Russian military advanced on a strategic city on the Dnieper River near where the facility is located, and gained ground in their bid to cut the country off from the sea. That move would deal a severe blow to Ukraine’s economy and could worsen an already dire humanitarian situation.

The head of the United Nations’ atomic watchdog says there has been no release of radiation at the Ukrainian nuclear plant that was targeted. International Atomic Energy Agency directorgeneral said that the agency has been in contact with the Ukrainian nuclear regulator and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after a building on the site was hit.

That caused a fire that was extinguished. Rafael Mariano Grossi said two people on the site were injured in the fire. He said that the operator and the regulator say the situation “continues to be extremely tense and challenging.” —AP