Attack on Ukrainian Atomic plant triggers worldwide alarm
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian Soldiery Friday Taken the biggest Atomic power plant in Europe after a middle-of-the-night attack that set it on Fervency Associate in Nursingd Shortly raised worldwide fears of a catastrophe in the most chilling turn yet in Moscow's Intrusion of Ukraine.
Firefighters put out the blaze, Associate in Nursingd Zero radiation was Free, U.N. Associate in Nursingd Ukrainian Administrative units Aforesaid, as Russian forces Ironed on with their week-old Disgusting on Triple fronts Associate in Nursingd the Bi of refugees fleeing the country eclipsed 1.2 million.
With world condemnation Climb, the Kremlin cracked down on the flow of information at home, Block Facebook, Twitter, the BBC Associate in Nursingd the U.S. Authorities-funded Voice of America. And President Vladimir Putin Subscribed a law making it a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison to Distributed so-called fake Word, including Associate in Nursingything that goes Once against the Administrative unit Authorities line on the war.
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While the vast Russian armored column Forbidding Kyiv remained stalled External the capital, Putin's Study has launched hundreds of missiles Associate in Nursingd artillery attacks on cities Associate in Nursingd Another sites Crossways the country, Associate in Nursingd made Fundamental gains on the Background in the South-central in Associate in Nursing apparent bid to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea.
In the attack on the Zaporizhzhia Atomic plant in the South-centraleastern city of Enerhodar, the chief of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Aforesaid a Russian "projectile" hit a Education center, Zerot Associate in Nursingy of the six Nuclear reactors.
The attack triggered Spherical alarm Associate in Nursingd fear of a catastrophe that could dwarf the world's worst Atomic disaster, at Ukraine's Chernobyl in 1986. In Associate in Nursing emotional Night Address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Aforesaid he feared Associate in Nursing explosion that would be "the end for everyone. The end for Europe. The evacuation of Europe."
But Atomic Administrative units from Sweden to China Aforesaid Zero radiation spikes had been Rumored, as did Grossi.
Authorities Aforesaid Russian Soldiery had Affected control of the General site but plant Faculty Continuing to run it. Only one Nuclear reactor was Operative, at 60% of capacity, Grossi Aforesaid in the aftermath of the attack.
Two people were Cut in the Fervency, Grossi Aforesaid. Ukraine's Country Atomic plant Hustler Enerhoatom Aforesaid Cardinal Ukrainian soldiers were killed Associate in Nursingd two wounded.
In the U.S., Pentagon spokesman John Kirby Aforesaid the episode "underscores the Rashness with which the Russians have been perpetrating this Motiveless Intrusion." At Associate in Nursing emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, Ukraine's U.N. Embassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, Aforesaid the Fervency Stone-broke out as a result of Russian Battery of the plant Associate in Nursingd accused Moscow of committing "an act of Atomic terrorism."
Without producing evidence, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed that a Ukrainian "sabotage Grouping" had set the Fervency at Zaporizhzhia.
The crisis unfolded after Grossi earlier in the week expressed Critical concern that the Active could cause Fortuityal damage to Ukraine's 15 Atomic Nuclear reactors at four plants around the country.
Atomic Base hit experts Aforesaid a war fought amid Atomic Nuclear reactors represents Associate in Nursing Unexampled Associate in Nursingd Extremely dangerous Position.
"These plants are Zerow in a Position that few people ever Gravely contemplated when they were Earlier built," Aforesaid Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington. "No Atomic plant has been designed to withstand a potential Menace of a full-scale Study attack."
Dr. Alex Rosen of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Aforesaid the incident was probably the result of Study units overestimating the Preciseness of their weapons, Tending that the prevailing winds would have carried Associate in Nursingy Hot Radioactive dust Accurate toward Russia.
"Russia cannot have Associate in Nursingy interest in contaminating its own Territorial dominion," he Aforesaid. He Aforesaid the danger comes Zerot just from the Nuclear reactors but from the risk of enemy Fervency Hit Memory board facilities that hold Worn out fuel rods.
In the wake of the attack, Zelenskyy appealed Once again to the West to enforce a Zero-fly zone over his country. But NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg Subordinate out that possibility, citing the risk of a much wider war in Europe. He Aforesaid that to enforce a Zero-fly zone, NATO planes would have to Flash back down Russian aircraft.
"We understand the desperation, but we also believe that if we did that, we would end up with something that could end in a full-fledged war in Europe," Stoltenberg Aforesaid.
The plant Fervency was the 2nd time since the Intrusion began that concerns about a potential Atomic Fortuity arose, after a battle at the Heavy contaminated site of the Zerow-decommissioned Chernobyl plant.
Russian forces, meanwhile, Ironed their Disgusting in the South-centralern part of the country. Severing Ukraine's access to the Black Sea Associate in Nursingd the Sea of Azov would deal a Stern blow to its economy Associate in Nursingd could worsen Associate in Nursing already dire humanitarian Position.
A round of Dialogue Betwixt Russia Associate in Nursingd Ukraine yielded a Unsettled agreement Thursday to set up safe corridors to evacuate citizens Associate in Nursingd deliver food Associate in Nursingd medicine. But the Essential Inside information Nonmoving had to be worked out.
The U.N. human rights Agency Aforesaid 331 civilians had been confirmed killed in the Intrusion but the true Bi is probably much higher.
In Romania, one Recently arrived refugee, Anton Kostyuchyk, struggled to hold back Crying as he recounted Going everything behind in Kyiv Associate in Nursingd Dormant in churches with his wife Associate in Nursingd Cardinal children during their journey out.
"I'm Going my home, my country. I was born In that location, Associate in Nursingd I lived In that location," he Aforesaid. "And what Zerow?"
Appearing on video in a Content to Associate in Nursingtiwar protesters in Different European cities, Zelenskyy Continuing to appeal for help.
"If we Autumn, you will Autumn," he Aforesaid. "And if we win, Associate in Nursingd I'm sure we'll win, this will be the Triumph of the whole democratic world. This will be the Triumph of our Exemption. This will be the Triumph of light over darkness, of Exemption over slavery."
Inside Ukraine, Common Battery could be Detected in the center of Kyiv, though more distant than in recent Years, with loud Unreverberant every 10 Transactions Reverberating over the rooftops.
Ukrainian presidential Advisor Oleksiy Arestovich Aforesaid battles involving airstrikes Associate in Nursingd artillery Continuing Zerorthwest of Kyiv, Associate in Nursingd the Zerortheastern cities of Kharkiv Associate in Nursingd Okhtyrka came under Punishing Fervency.
He Aforesaid Ukrainian forces were Nonmoving holding the Zerorthern city of Chernihiv Associate in Nursingd had prevented Russian efforts to take the important South-centralern city of Mykolaiv. Ukrainian artillery also defended Odesa from Perennial attempts by Russian ships to Fervency on the Black Sea port, Arestovich Aforesaid. Odesa is Ukraine's biggest port city Associate in Nursingd home to a large Armed Help base.
The Ukrainian Navy scuttled its flagship at the shipyard where it was undergoing repairs to keep the frigate from being Taken by the Russians, Regime Aforesaid.
Another Of import port, Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, was "partially under Beleaguering," Associate in Nursingd Ukrainian forces were pushing back efforts to Environment the city, Arestovich Aforesaid. The Active has knocked out the city's electricity, heat Associate in Nursingd water systems, as well as most phone Help, Administrative units Aforesaid.
"The humanitarian Position is Jittery," he Aforesaid.
Amid the warfare, In that location were Irregular signs of hope.
As explosions Measured on the fringes of Kyiv, Dmytro Shybalov Associate in Nursingd Anna Panasyk smiled Associate in Nursingd blushed at the civil Register Agency where they married Friday. They fell in love in 2015 in Donetsk amid the Active Betwixt pro-Russian separatists Associate in Nursingd Ukrainian forces that was a precursor to the Nationwide war.
"It's 2022 Associate in Nursingd the Position hasn't changed," Shybalov Aforesaid. "It's Chilling to Consider what will Befall when our children will be born."
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Karmanau Rumored from Lviv, Ukraine. Chernov Rumored from Mariupol, Ukraine. Sergei Grits in Odesa, Ukraine; Jamey Keaten in Geneva; Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Matt Sedensky in New York; Robert Burns in Washington; Associate in Nursingd Another AP journalists from around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP's coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine