[ad_1]
A photo taken during a Russian military-organized visit to Mariupol shows Russian soldiers guarding the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Enel Khodar, southeastern Ukraine, in May. File photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA-EFE
August 14 (UPI) – President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky Russia has been accused of nuclear “blackmail” as residents evacuated from the direction of Europe’s largest Zaporozhye nuclear power plant amid fresh artillery fire.
Zelensky says in his night speech The radiation threat to Europe “increased so much” as Russian troops occupied the power plant every day on Saturday.
Zaporozhye is the first operational nuclear power plant in the theater, and Western officials fear artillery fire in and near it poses an imminent nuclear threat to Europe.
“Ukrainian diplomats and representatives of partner countries will make every effort to ensure that new sanctions against Russia will necessarily deter the Russian nuclear industry,” Zelensky said.
“And absolutely all officials of terrorist states, and those who help them in their nuclear power plant extortion operations, must be tried by an international tribunal.”
Zelensky added that every Russian soldier who fires or shoots under the cover of a nuclear power plant “will be a special target for Ukrainian intelligence and military operations.”
On Saturday, social media posts saw long queues of cars carrying civilians leaving the city of Enejodar, near the power plant, According to the New York Times.
Yevny Yetushenko, head of the Nikopol District Military Administration in a statement It told Telegram on Sunday that Russian troops shelled a pedestrian street in the nearby town of Nikopol from a nuclear facility.
Ukrainian officials also said Russian rockets hit Nikopol on Friday, across the Dnieper River from the Zaporozhye plant.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, dire warning In a speech to the UN Security Council, he said any military action that endangered nuclear security “must cease immediately”.
“Taking these military actions near such a large nuclear facility could have very serious consequences,” he said.
Secretary General of the United Nations Anthony Guterres He also said on Thursday he was “gravely concerned” about the shelling near nuclear facilities.
“There have been reports over the past few days that further deeply worrying incidents could lead to disaster if they continue,” Guterres said.
“I call on the military of the Russian Federation and Ukraine Immediately cease all military activities in the vicinity of this facility and not targeting its facilities or surroundings. ”
[ad_2]
Source link