In Enerhodar,Ukraine the areas surrounding Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant have been engulfed in fighting. A laboratory, and chemical facility were damaged by shelling with both sides accusing one another of attacking Zaporizhzhya. 

Zaporizhzhya is located in a Russian-occupied zone of Ukraine. However, Ukrainian engineers are still working in the plant. The exiled Ukranian mayor of Enerhodar, the town in which Zaporizhzhya is located said in a Telegram post that they were under fire from Russian forces, and were lacking electrical supply. 

Energoatom, the Ukrainian state enterprise operating the four nuclear power plants in Ukraine has accused Russian mortar shelling as the reason for the emergency shutdowns.  Moscow has denied these claims ,and have insisted that it is actually Ukrainian forces who were recklessly firing on the power plant.  

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine said this on her telegram September 8th. “Yesterday, the UN Security Council met again regarding the situation at the ZNPP. The masks are torn. The Russian state is directly engaged in nuclear terrorism. This is the first precedent in human history.” 

On Monday, international inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were headed to the plant.  Once inside of the plant they were able to survey the entire nuclear facility.  Rafael Grossi, Director general of the IAEA stated that “It’s obvious that the plant and the physical integrity of the plant has been violated several times by chance, deliberately – we don’t have the elements to assess that.” 

On September 8th, residents in the area were told to evacuate from the town and  . “I appeal to the residents of the districts adjacent to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant … evacuate! Find a way to get to (Ukrainian) controlled territory,”  said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.

The Zaporizhzhya power plant is nearly twice the size of Chernobyl, and this situation has the potential to turn into a major far-reaching disaster for the entire country if it doesn’t get resolved.