Russia bombs nuclear plant in Ukraine, sparks radiation fears

Kyiv: Russian forces pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city by shelling Europe's largest nuclear plant early on Friday, sparking a fire and raising fears that radiation could leak from the damaged power station.

'There is a fire at the nuclear power plant,' the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's (NPP) press service said in a statement.

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, located in southern Ukraine, is Europe's largest nuclear plant. Ukraine Foreign Minister said Dmytro Kuleba claimed that the Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP.

Taking to Twitter, Foreign Minister Kuleba said if the nuclear plant blows up, 'it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl'.

"Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Fire has already broken out. If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone," Kuleba tweeted. The Ukrainian state nuclear company on Friday said that three Ukrainian troops were killed and two wounded in the Russian attack at the Zaporizhzhia plant. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said two people were injured in the blaze that broke out