The president of Ukraine, Volodímir Zelenski, has accused Russian forces of causing a fire inside the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is under Moscow’s control after its seizure. The flames were visible from areas held by the Ukrainian government, and Zelenski described normal radiation readings in a Telegram briefing shortly after the incident, aiming to reassure the public while the situation remained tense and uncertain.
Local reporting from Nikopol, a city across the river from the plant, suggested an unofficial account that Russian troops had set alight a large pile of vehicle tires near one of the plant’s cooling towers. The source urged calm amid conflicting narratives about what had occurred. Russian officials in charge of Zaporizhzhia, located in southeastern Ukraine but controlled by Russian forces, claimed instead that the fire arose from a Ukrainian strike on Energodar and contended that the nuclear site itself had sustained no damage.
The United Nations atomic watchdog, the IAEA, noted dense black smoke rising from the northern area of the installations following a series of explosions. The IAEA stated on its X account that observers were informed the site had suffered a drone attack on one of the cooling towers, but there had been no reported impact on nuclear safety. This update underscores the fragility of the situation and the need for verified information during a volatile security crisis in the region. In a situation like this, independent experts emphasize the importance of careful incident assessment, continuous monitoring, and transparent communication to prevent escalation. The IAEA’s reporting continues to be a crucial source for assessing potential risk to public health and safety amid conflicting battlefield claims.