LVIV, Ukraine – Russian forces seized the largest nuclear power plant in Europe after a building at the complex was set ablaze during intense fighting with Ukrainian defenders, Ukrainian authorities said on Friday (March 4).
Fears of a potential nuclear disaster at the Zaporizhzhia plant had spread alarm across world capitals, before authorities said the fire in a building identified as a training centre, had been extinguished.
US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said there was no indication of elevated radiation levels at the plant, which provides more than a fifth of total electricity generated in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian regional authority confirmed in a Facebook post that Russian forces had captured the plant and said personnel were monitoring the condition of power units to ensure they could operate safely.
Earlier, a video feed from the plant verified by Reuters showed shelling and smoke rising near a five-storey building at the plant compound.
The footage shot at night showed one building aflame, and a volley of incoming shells, before a large candescent ball lit up the sky, exploding beside a car park and sending smoke billowing across the compound.
“Europeans, please wake up. Tell your politicians – Russian troops are shooting at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine,” Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video address.
Zelenskiy said Russian tanks had shot at the nuclear reactor plants, though there was no evidence cited that they had been hit.
The mayor of the nearby town of Energodar about 550 km (342 miles) southeast of Kyiv said fierce fighting and “continuous enemy shelling” had caused casualties in the area, without providing details.
Thousands of people are believed to have been killed or wounded and more than 1 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin last Thursday launched the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.
Early reports of the incident at the power plant sent financial markets in Asia spiralling, with stocks tumbling and oil prices surging further.
“Markets are worried about nuclear fallout. The risk is that there is a miscalculation or over-reaction and the war prolongs,” said Vasu Menon, executive director of investment strategy at OCBC Bank.
Russia had already captured the defunct Chernobyl plant north of Kyiv, which spewed radioactive waste over much of Europe when it melted down in 1986. The Zaporizhzhia plant is a different and safer type, analysts said.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson both spoke with Zelenskiy to get an update on the situation at the plant.
“President Biden joined President Zelenskiy in urging Russia to cease its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and emergency responders to access the site,” the White House said.
Johnson said Russian forces must immediately quit their attack and agreed with Zelenskiy that a ceasefire was crucial.
“The prime minister said the reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe,” Downing Street said.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said he was “deeply concerned” by the situation at the nuclear plant, and that Ukrainian authorities had assured the IAEA that “essential” equipment were unaffected.
Fighting rages, sanctions mount
Russia‑Ukraine Showdown: What’s Happening, Why It Matters, and Why It Becomes a Giddy Global Press
Picture this: a tense Friday meeting where the two sides—Russia and Ukraine—handed each other a hand‑shake over vital humanitarian corridors. Think of them as the Grand Central Express: a way for civilians to escape the bad buzz and get doctor’s meds and crunchy veggies to the frontline hotspots.
Quick‑Low‑down on the Hot‑Spots
- Kherson – The southern port that’s the one that actually fell to Russian troops after the 24 Feb crackdown. The rest of the city is still under heavy Russian pressure.
- Mariupol – A place that’s literally turning into a fiery garbage dump. Water cut, electricity gone, and pics show metal units bursting into flames right next to apartment blocks. Not a kid’s play date.
- Kharkiv – Since Day 1 of the invasion it’s lightning‑charged by shells. The defenders? Stubborn enough to be considered the “last pit stop” before a full trench‑race.
- Kyiv – The big juicy capital got a carbon‑based shelling. But Russian troops are still 25 km (that’s about 16 miles) away, giving the metropolis a surprise “almost but not quite” partner.
- Borodyanka – The outskirts city that got hit by a firepower juggernaut, shattering the mould of resistance.
Under the Hood: How the Big Powers Are Reacting
In Washington the US defence official said – yeah, the Russians are a good 25 km from the Kyiv skyline. In the Global Village, Britain and the US threw a new slice of sanctions that slapped even more Russian oligarchs on the blacklist.
Corporate backlash? Absolutely. Google, Nike, and Ikea have either shut down or slowed operations in Russia – because the constant supply chain kerfuffles and trade restrictions make being nice not just a moral stance but a practical choice.
The Big Picture: What Russia Says, What Others Say
Russia calls the whole thing a “special operation.” They claim they’re not here to capture territory but to tear out the democratic government that’s powering neighbours. They shrug off civilian casualties, claiming it’s not the main point.
Enter the media regulators. Moscow refuses BBC Russian and Radio Liberty from tapping into the narrative stream, locking down the flow of information. The buzz can be summed up: silence is louder than talking.
Garry Kasparov’s Thunder‑clap Call
Former chess champ and outspoken human‑rights activist Garri Casparov fires a pre‑emptive nudge: “Let’s amaze the world! Yell out a no‑fly zone over Ukraine, and let’s point the vote at Interpol so that Russians can’t poll the rest of our planet.” He also says: “We’ll push Russia back to the Stone Age, so the oil, gas, and vital sectors can’t survive without Western tech.”
Because, if that’s the end game, then the next level of geopolitics is walking around our airport (airport? Phew). We’re living in the old era, yet feeling the new kicks.
Keep Your Fingers (and hearts) on the Pulse
Every update is a reminder that this battlefield is now not a silent chessboard. It’s a flashpoint where people care – the defenders, civilians, and the post‑revolutionary future. Stay tuned, but carry your curiosity, and feel if you want it; this isn’t purely a data set, it’s real people and real stories.
