Ukraine power plant videos show staff imploring Russian troops to ‘stop firing’
Loudspeaker can be heard warning soldiers outside the Zaporizhzhia plant — the biggest nuclear facility in Europe — that they’re ‘endangering safety of the entire world’
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Videos released Saturday showed staff at an atomic power plant in Ukraine pleading with invading Russian troops to stop firing at the complex, an incident that sparked fury from Ukrainian and Western officials.
The videos appeared to show one of the operational rooms inside the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, with a loudspeaker heard warning the Russian soldiers outside.
“Stop firing at the nuclear facility,” a voice said. “Immediately stop firing. You are endangering the safety of the entire world. The operation of a crucial part of Zaporizhzhia’s plant could be damaged. We will not be able to restore it.”
The six reactors at Zaporizhzhia, which can power four million homes, appeared undamaged by the fighting and a fire that broke out in a training facility on Friday.
As a precautionary measure, Ukrainian authorities were distributing iodine tablets to residents living near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor.
The New York Times said a fire that erupted at the site blazed some 1500 feet (500 meters) from the site’s nearest reactor.
“Stop firing” staff at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant pleaded with Russian soldiers as they directed fire on buildings.
Video sent to @MarcSantoraNYT and verified by @brenna__smith @dim109 w @anglistories @robinnyc7
More: https://t.co/eBd3JTJRrN pic.twitter.com/S1YJWZIYDc
— Malachy Browne (@malachybrowne) March 5, 2022
Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he was prepared to travel to Ukraine to ensure the security of the country’s nuclear facilities.
He told the Security Council that a “projectile” hit a building adjacent to a block of six reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant, sparking a fire that didn’t affect its operation, although he stressed there is nothing normal when military forces are in charge of the site.
A video from the control room of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant amid Russia’s fire towards the facility.
“Immediately stop fire. You are you endanger the security of the whole world,” the control room says trough loud speakers.
Video: Energoatom. pic.twitter.com/c8klzf3jGc
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 5, 2022
Grossi has repeatedly stressed that any military or other action that could threaten the safety or security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants must be avoided.
“I remain gravely concerned about the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, especially about the country’s nuclear power plants, which must be able to continue operating without any safety or security threats,” he said.
“Any accident caused as a result of the military conflict could have extremely serious consequences for people and the environment, in Ukraine and beyond.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a call with US senators that Russian forces have now seized two Ukrainian nuclear power plants and are advancing toward a third — the Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear power plant, located 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Mykolaiv, one of several cities the Russians were trying to keep encircled.
Ukraine has four nuclear plants with a total of 15 reactors.
The Times of Israel Community.