# Russia seizes Ukraine nuclear power plant as forces lay siege to cities Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-03-04 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Russian Forces Seize Europe's Biggest Nuclear Power Meta Description: Russian forces in Ukraine have seized Europe's largest nuclear power plant, sparking global alarm. Fighting continues in various cities as the conflict URL: https://financedigest.com/russia-seizes-ukraine-nuclear-power-plant-as-forces-lay-siege-to-citieshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-03-04t094253z1lynxmpei230d9rtroptp4ukraine-crisis-kyiv-region-1736816009968-compressed.jpg) By Pavel Polityuk and Aleksandar Vasovic LVIV, Ukraine/KYIV (Reuters) -Russian forces in Ukraine seized Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant on Friday in an assault that caused alarm around the world and that Washington said had risked catastrophe, although officials said later that the facility was now safe. Fighting also raged elsewhere in Ukraine as Russian forces besieged and bombarded several cities in the second week of an invasion launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin The capital Kyiv, in the path of a Russian armoured column that has been stalled on a road for days, came under renewed attack, with explosions audible from the [city centre](https://www.financedigest.com/buyers-shun-city-centres-for-country-villas-when-it-comes-to-lifestyle-investment-in-iberia.html "BUYERS SHUN CITY CENTRES FOR COUNTRY VILLAS WHEN IT COMES TO LIFESTYLE INVESTMENT IN IBERIA"). The southeastern port city of Mariupol – a key prize for the Russian troops – has been encircled and shelled. Its mayor said on Friday it had no water, heat or electricity and is running out of food after five days under attack. “We are simply being destroyed,” Mayor Vadym Boychenko said. However, NATO allies on Friday rejected Ukraine’s appeal for no-fly zones, [saying they were increasing support but that stepping in directly would lead](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-says-it-is-committed-to-leading-a-nato-task-force-in-2024.html "Britain says it is committed to leading a NATO task force in 2024") to a broader, even more brutal European war. Putin’s [actions have drawn almost](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-action-wanes-at-u-n-to-isolate-russia-almost-six-months-into-ukraine-war.html "Analysis: Action wanes at U.N. to isolate Russia almost six months into Ukraine war") universal worldwide condemnation and Western countries have imposed heavy sanctions in an effort to squeeze the Russian economy. A humanitarian disaster is also unfolding, with more than one million people seeking refuge in [western Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-russian-gold-removed-from-some-western-funds-after-ukraine.html "Analysis-Russian gold removed from some Western funds after Ukraine") and in neighbouring countries. Thousands of people are believed to have been killed or wounded since the start of the Feb. 24 invasion. The attack on the Zaporizhzhia [nuclear power](https://www.financedigest.com/edf-edison-ansaldo-team-up-to-develop-nuclear-power-in-europe.html "EDF, Edison, Ansaldo team up to develop nuclear power in Europe") plant brought the conflict to a perilous moment. As shells hit the area, a blaze broke out in a training [building – triggering a spasm of alarm around the world before the fire was extinguished and officials said the facility](https://www.financedigest.com/li-cycle-to-build-french-battery-processing-facility.html "Li-Cycle to build French battery processing facility") was safe. The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the world had narrowly averted a nuclear catastrophe. The attack reflected a “dangerous new escalation” in [Russia’s invasion](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-asks-for-south-korea-cybersecurity-aid-amid-russia-invasion.html "Ukraine asks for South Korea cybersecurity aid amid Russia invasion"), she said during an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, [warning that “imminent danger” persisted and demanding](https://www.financedigest.com/inpost-sees-stronger-2022-but-warns-of-slowing-demand.html "InPost sees stronger 2022 but warns of slowing demand") assurances from Moscow that such an assault will not happen again. An official at Energoatom, the [Ukrainian state nuclear plant operator](https://www.financedigest.com/grid-operator-urges-ukrainians-to-save-electricity-as-temperatures-drop.html "Grid operator urges Ukrainians to save electricity as temperatures drop"), told Reuters fighting had ceased and radiation levels were normal. But his organisation no longer had contact with the [plant’s managers or control over its nuclear](https://www.financedigest.com/e-on-casts-doubt-on-german-plan-to-keep-nuclear-plants-on-standby.html "E.ON casts doubt on German plan to keep nuclear plants on standby") material, he said. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Raphael Grossi said the plant was undamaged from what he believed was a Russian projectile. Only one of its six reactors was working, at around 60% of capacity. Russia’s [defence ministry also said the plant was working](https://www.financedigest.com/shoring-up-cyber-defences-in-the-remote-working-era.html "Shoring up cyber defences in the remote working era") normally. It blamed the fire on an attack by Ukrainian saboteurs and said its forces were in control. APPEAL SPURNED [Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz](https://www.financedigest.com/scholz-if-germany-continues-to-adapt-we-will-make-it-through-winter.html "Scholz: if Germany continues to adapt, we will make it through winter") became the latest Western leader to phone Putin and demand he call off the war. His Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia was [increasing its strikes](https://www.financedigest.com/ita-airways-averts-strike-after-wage-increase-accord-with-unions.html "ITA Airways averts strike after wage increase accord with unions") on civilians “with the most brutal rigor. But NATO allies meeting in Brussels rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s [demand for no-fly zones](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-likely-entering-recession-as-price-rises-hit-demand-pmi.html "Euro zone likely entering recession as price rises hit demand -PMI"). We are not part of this conflict,” [NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg](https://www.financedigest.com/finland-will-join-nato-on-tuesday-stoltenberg.html "Finland will join NATO on Tuesday – Stoltenberg") told a news conference. We have a responsibility as NATO allies to prevent this [war from escalating beyond Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-economy-sentiment-rises-in-dec-first-time-since-start-of-ukraine-war.html "Euro zone economy sentiment rises in Dec, first time since start of Ukraine war") because that would be even more dangerous, more devastating and would cause even more human suffering. Moscow [denies targeting civilians and says](https://www.financedigest.com/loreal-denies-report-saying-it-suspended-twitter-ad-spending.html "L’Oréal denies report saying it suspended Twitter ad spending") its aim is to disarm its neighbour, counter what it views as NATO aggression and capture leaders it calls neo-Nazis. [Ukraine and its Western allies call that a baseless pretext for a war](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-grants-citizenship-to-top-russian-journalist-who-denounced-war.html "Ukraine grants citizenship to top Russian journalist who denounced war") to conquer a country of 44 million people. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney lamented “the images we see of [apartment blocks in working class areas outside of cities](https://www.financedigest.com/why-are-there-so-few-apartments-to-rent-in-liverpool-city-centre.html "Why are there so few apartments to rent in Liverpool city centre?") with half of buildings gone, in smouldering rubble. More EU sanctions were coming, potentially including a ban on Russian-flagged [ships in European ports](https://www.financedigest.com/turkey-says-five-more-grain-ships-leave-ukrainian-ports.html "Turkey says five more grain ships leave Ukrainian ports") and blocking imports of steel, timber, aluminium or coal, he said. DEFENDING KYIV In Kyiv’s Borshchahivka neighbourhood, the twisted engine of a cruise missile lay in the street where it had apparently been downed overnight by Ukrainian air defences. [Russian troops “all should go to hell,” said Igor Leonidovich, 62, an ethnic Russian who moved to Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/eastern-ukraine-town-empties-as-residents-fear-new-russian-assault.html "Eastern Ukraine town empties as residents fear new Russian assault") 50 years ago as a boy. “For the occupiers it is getting worse and worse, every day.” A Ukrainian presidential adviser said an advance had been [halted on the southern port of Mykolayiv after local](https://www.financedigest.com/kfc-franchisees-in-russia-ask-govt-to-halt-sale-of-stores-to-local-operator-ria.html "KFC franchisees in Russia ask govt to halt sale of stores to local operator – RIA") authorities said Russian troops had entered it. If captured, the city of 500,000 people would be the biggest yet to fall. Adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said: “We can feel cautious optimism about the [future prospects of the enemy offensive – I think](https://www.financedigest.com/the-pull-of-the-past-1-in-5-keep-items-they-think-will-be-valuable-in-the-future.html "The pull of the past! 1 in 5 keep items they think will be valuable in the future") that it will be stopped in other areas also. Russian forces have made their biggest advances in the south, where they captured their first sizeable Ukrainian city, Kherson, this week. Bombing has worsened in recent days in the northeast cities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv. [Ukrainians have been fleeing](https://www.financedigest.com/after-fleeing-war-ukrainians-struggle-to-settle-around-europe.html "After fleeing war, Ukrainians struggle to settle around Europe") west, many crowding into Lviv near the Polish border. James Elder of the United Nations children’s agency said [doctors in Lviv were preparing a system to identify children in case](https://www.financedigest.com/hungarian-doctors-warn-of-sad-christmas-as-covid-cases-soar.html "Hungarian doctors warn of ‘sad Christmas’ as COVID cases soar") of mass casualties. A green dot means fine over here, a yellow dot means [critical support](https://www.financedigest.com/keysource-to-provide-critical-facilitiesmanagement-support-for-leeds-city-council.html "KEYSOURCE TO PROVIDE CRITICAL FACILITIESMANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR LEEDS CITY COUNCIL"). They are learning a black dot means the child won’t make it,” he said. CLAMPDOWN In Russia, where Putin’s main opponents have largely been jailed or driven into exile, the war has led to a further crackdown on dissent. Authorities have banned reports that refer to what it [terms a “special military operation”](https://www.financedigest.com/ubisoft-vows-to-get-back-to-operating-margin-above-20-in-medium-term.html "Ubisoft vows to get back to operating margin above 20% in medium term") as a “war. Anti-war demonstrations have been squelched with thousands of arrests. [Russia earlier cut](https://www.financedigest.com/pimco-cut-big-position-in-russia-cds-by-adding-bonds-in-q2.html "PIMCO cut big position in Russia CDS by adding bonds in Q2") access to several foreign news organisations’ websites, including the BBC, Voice of America and Deutsche Welle, for spreading what it said was false information about its war in Ukraine. Parliament on [Friday passed a law imposing a jail term of up to 15 years](https://www.financedigest.com/extraordinary-rollercoaster-good-friday-talks-remembered-25-years-on.html "‘Extraordinary rollercoaster’, Good Friday talks remembered 25 years on") for spreading intentionally “fake” news about the military. The BBC said it would [temporarily suspend the work of all its journalists and support staff in Russia](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-kazakh-mcdonalds-shut-outlets-temporarily-after-halting-supplies-from-russia-sources.html "Exclusive-Kazakh McDonald’s shut outlets temporarily after halting supplies from Russia – sources") following the introduction of the law. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Natalia Zinets, Aleksandar Vasovic in Ukraine, John Irish in Paris, Francois Murphy in Vienna, David Ljunggren in Ottawa and other Reuters bureauxWriting by Peter Graff and Angus MacSwan, Editing by Frances Kerry and Jon Boyle) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. 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