For the second time in five days, the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine-which is encircled by Russian troops-has lost all external power required for critical safety systems, according to a report by the AP.
The chief of the UN's nuclear watchdog described it as a "deeply worrying development" on Wednesday.
Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, issued the warning amid a frenzy of tensions between Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
In the southern Kherson region, Ukraine's military leadership reported that its forces had retaken five settlements, and Russia's top domestic security organization reported that eight persons had been detained in connection with the weekend explosion on the Crimean bridge, as per AP.
This photo taken on September 11, 2022 shows a general view of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar (Energodar), Zaporizhzhia Oblast, amid the ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine. - The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in southeastern Ukraine is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world.
Europe's Largest Nuclear Facility
The IAEA monitors at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest nuclear power facility, reported the loss of external power.
According to Grossi, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, backup diesel generators were maintaining nuclear safety and security equipment functional.
On the social media platform Telegram, Ukraine's state nuclear operator Energoatom reported that a Russian missile attack on the substation "Dniprovska" in the adjacent Dnipropetrovsk region to the north damaged it.
The attack shut down a crucial communication line to the plant and caused the diesel generators to turn on automatically.
In an interview with the AP last month, Energoatom CEO Petro Kotin stated that, on average, the Zaporizhzhia plant only had enough fuel to run the diesel generators for 10 days. The station's last line of defense against a radiation accident, according to him, were those generators.
Growing worries regarding the nuclear plant coincide with a flare-up in fighting in southern Ukraine and a recent onslaught of Russian airstrikes all over the nation.
At least 14 people have died as a result of Russian bombardment in the eastern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy director of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's administration.
He posted on Telegram that there were at least 34 injuries across five areas.
Massive Explosion
This development comes at the heels of the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia to Crimea to supply their forces with weaponry, which was damaged on Saturday.
Four people were killed when a vehicle carrying explosives blew up as it crossed the bridge, and two portions of one of the two car links also collapsed as a result, according to the AP.
In response, Putin ordered missile attacks across Ukraine, alleging that Ukrainian special services were responsible for the explosion and referring to it as "an act of terrorism."
Zaporizhzhia, which is close to the front line of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces, has recently been the target of several devastating attacks.
It is a portion of a wider region that includes the largest nuclear power plant in Europe that is currently under Russian control. However, the city is still under the control of Ukrainian forces.
Related Article: IAEF Chief Announces Mission to Ukraine After A 'Suicidal Nuclear Plant Explosion' Alarm Was Raised at Europe's Largest Nuclear Facility
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
