Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of rocket strikes near a Russian-held power plant, that the former says has killed 14 civilians and injured 11, five of whom are said to be critical. Renewed strikes near Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant have led to new fears of a nuclear disaster.
Regional Governor Valentin Reznichenko wrote on Telegram that Russia had fired a total of 80 rockets at the area.
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Urging residents to shelter when they hear air raid sirens, Reznichenko wrote, “It was a terrible night. I am asking and begging you… Don’t let the Russians kill you.”
Most of the casualties were in the town of Marganets, just across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Regional council head Mykola Lukashuk informed that the strikes also damaged a local power line, leaving thousands of people without electricity.
Meanwhile, the Group of Seven industrialised nations (G7) has condemned Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and wants Moscow to immediately hand back full control of the plant to Ukraine.
Ukrainian staff operating the plant “must be able to carry out their duties without threats or pressure. It is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region,” the G7 foreign ministers said in a statement.
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Both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of shelling around the plant. Ukraine even says that Russia has stationed hundreds of troops and stored ammunition at the plant. The plant has been under Russia’s hold since March 4.
The tensions have brought back memories of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in then Soviet Ukraine, which killed hundreds of people and spread radioactive contamination over much of Europe.
Meanwhile, the blasts at the Saki airfield in Crimea a day before left beachgoers panicked who could be seen fleeing a beach with children in videos uploaded on social media amidst clouds of grey smoke.
Moscow insists that the explosions were caused by detonating ammunition and not Ukrainian fire. However, Ukraine has now said that nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in the blasts.
(With inputs from agencies)
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