Vladimir Putin has been accused of wanting “another Chernobyl”-sized disaster after his thugs attacked Europe’s largest nuclear power station.
A building near radioactive material was set ablaze earlier this morning as Russian soldiers opened fire on the Zaporizhzhia plant in the south east of Ukraine.
Despite continuous gunfire, firefighters were able to put out the flames before irreversible damage was done to the control towers - but the plant has fallen into Russian hands.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian counterpart Putin of wanting another Chernobyl-like disaster, when an explosion at the infamous plant petered Europe with radiation.
He said in a television address: “Russian people, I want to appeal to you: how is this possible? After all we fought together in 1986 against the Chernobyl catastrophe.
“You have to... take to the streets and say that you want to live, you want to live on earth without radioactive contamination.
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“Radiation does not know where Russia is, radiation does not know where the borders of your country are.
“You have to remember the burning graphite scattered by the explosion, the victims.
“You have to remember the glow over the destroyed power unit, the evacuation. How can you forget that? If you have not forgotten, you should not be silent.
"No country other than Russia has ever fired on nuclear power units.
“This is the first time in our history. In the history of mankind. The terrorist state now resorted to nuclear terror.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a tweet Ukrainian authorities had informed the agency the fire at Zaporizhzhia had not affected "essential" equipment.
Russia's Ministry of Defence blamed the attack at the power plant on Ukrainian saboteurs, calling it a "monstrous provocation".
They claimed the area had been under Russian control since February 28 and fighters were attempting to take it back, sparking the serious blaze.
Speaking of the attack, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Both leaders agreed that Russia must immediately cease its attack on the power station and allow unfettered access for emergency services to the plant.
"The Prime Minister said the reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe. He said the UK would do everything it could to ensure the situation did not deteriorate further.
"The Prime Minister said he would be seeking an emergency UN Security Council meeting in the coming hours, and that the UK would raise this issue immediately with Russia and close partners.
"Both leaders agreed a ceasefire was crucial."
The fire at the Zaporizhzhia facility has raised "a very real concern" about the potential for disaster, says Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington D.C.
He added: “For example, the prospect of a widespread fire, although that appears not to be the case, could disable the plant's electrical systems and lead to an event very much like Fukushima if cooling is not restored in time.”
