Ukraine claims Russian shell hit high-voltage power line at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power

Ukrainian nuclear officials claim that a Russian shell brought down a high-voltage power line at the ‘out of control’ Zaporizhzhia nuclear power.

According to Energoatomy, Ukraine’s state nuclear power company, a high-voltage power line has been brought down by Russian shelling today, Friday, August 5, at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Kremlin officials have denied responsibility, instead, blaming the Ukrainian military.

The facility, located in the city of Enerhodar, is the largest of its kind in Europe. It was described recently as being ‘out of control’, by Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Energoatomy’s statement was released shortly after Russian officials controlling the occupied plant reported a strike by Ukrainian forces. There is apparently no damage to the facility and no radioactive discharges detected. In numerous posts on social media, both sides are blaming each other for the incident.

A tweet from the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) accused the Russian occupiers of using the plant as a shield from which to shell Ukrainian territory on the other side of the Dnipro river without fear of retaliation.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 5 August 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/8Uv3JnpVgm

🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/lck9qAjhqM

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 5, 2022

The Zaporizhzhia complex contains 15 nuclear reactors and experts from the IAEA are concerned about the condition of the facility. After five months under Russian control, there are fears of a possible Chornobyl-type disaster but on a much larger scale. It has issued an urgent plea to both Russia and Ukraine to allow specialists to enter the plant and stabilise the situation.

Bridget Brink, the US ambassador to Ukraine, earlier this week claimed that the Russian occupiers were using the facility ‘as the equivalent of a nuclear shield, firing at Ukrainians from around the plant’.

Amid everything else, there are credible reports Russia's forces are using Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – the largest in Europe – as the equivalent of a nuclear shield, firing at Ukrainians from around the plant. https://t.co/bkB6Vctzed

— Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) August 3, 2022

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