UPDATE - Russia captures Europe's largest nuclear plant in SE Ukraine

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, REMARKS, MINOR EDITS

By Jeyhun Aliyev and Burak Bir

KYIV, Ukraine / ANKARA (AA) - Following night-long clashes near the city of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, Russia took control of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, Ukrainian authorities announced on Friday.

"Currently, the site of the Zaporizhzhia NPP is occupied by the military forces of the Russian Federation," said a statement by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate.

It stressed that there had been no changes in radiation level, which increased after a fire broke out due to Russian shelling.

Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that attacks by Russian troops on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant must be stopped and that if an explosion occurred, "it would be the end of Europe."

"Europe must wake up now. Europe's largest nuclear power plant is on fire. Currently, Russian tanks are hitting nuclear units. These are tanks equipped with thermal imagers, so they know what they are shooting at. They have prepared for this," the Ukrainian president had said in a video message on social media.

"Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. A fire has already broken out," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said, adding, "If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chernobyl!"

Following the developments, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that the fire at the power plant "has not affected essential equipment."

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the IAEA, expressed his deep concern over the situation and called on parties to refrain from actions that would put the nuclear power plant in danger.

- Among world’s 10 largest nuclear power plants

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which was built between 1984 and 1995, is the largest in Europe, and also among the world’s 10 largest nuclear power plants.

Located in the southeastern Ukraine near the city of Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia NPP generates 20% of Ukraine's electricity.

With six reactors, each of which has a net capacity of 950 megawatts, can supply energy to nearly 4 million households with a total electricity production of 5700 megawatts.

Following the night-long clashes with Ukrainian forces, the plant is now under control of Russian forces.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has been met with international outrage, with the European Union, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

More than a million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency.