International nuclear watchdog monitoring firefight at Ukraine nuclear plant amid warnings of ‘Chernobyl x 10’

Reactor was not operational at time of strike but fuel stored at facility

An international nuclear watchdog has said it is monitoring reports of fighting and a blaze fire at Ukraine facility amid warnings of a tragedy tens times as bad as Chernobyl.

Officials said the Zaporizhzhia plant in the city of Enerhodar was under attack by Russian troops and one of the facility’s six reactors was on fire, after being struck by Russian shelling. That reactor is under renovation and not operating, but there is nuclear fuel inside, officials have said.

Ukraine’s foreign minister said a building at the plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe, was on fire. He called for a security zone to be established and for firefighters to be allowed to tackle the incident.

“Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

“Fire has already broke out ... Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!

• Ukraine-Russia news - live: Nuclear plant ‘secured’ amid warning of ‘Chernobyl x 10’ during attack

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a tweet that it was “aware of reports of shelling” at the power plant and was in contact with Ukrainian authorities about situation.

It later said that it had been told there no increase in radiation detected at the facility.

Reports in the US also quoted American officials as saying there had been no additional radiation detected but saying Mr Biden had asked Russia to stop shelling the location.

“President Biden spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine this evening to receive an update on the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” the White House said in a statement.

“President Biden joined President Zelensky in urging Russia to cease its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and emergency responders to access the site.”

Later, the US Department of Energy said it had activated its nuclear incident response team and was also monitoring the situation.

The Biden administration ordered new sanctions blocking Russian business oligarchs and others in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle on Thursday in response to Russian forces’ fierce pummelling of Ukraine.

Those targeted by the new US sanctions include Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, and Alisher Usmanov, one of Russia’s wealthiest individuals and a close ally of Putin.

The US State Department also announced it was imposing visa bans on 19 Russian oligarchs and dozens of their family members and close associates.

“The goal was to maximize impact on Putin and Russia and minimize the harm on us and our allies and friends around the world,” Mr Biden said as he noted the new sanctions at the start of a meeting with his Cabinet and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The White House said the oligarchs and dozens of their family members will be cut off from the US financial system. Their assets in the United States will be frozen and their property will be blocked from use.The White House described Mr Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, as “a top purveyor of Putin’s propaganda”.

Additional reporting by Associated Press