What's happening now: Ukrainian authorities say fighting has stopped in the area and about 40 firefighters are working to put out the blaze. It was a "global catastrophe that affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of people," and had a lasting impact on the country, Zelensky said. The 1986 Chernobyl disaster, which took place in Soviet Ukraine, is considered the worst nuclear accident in history. "For all Ukrainians, for all Europeans, for all people who know the word 'Chernobyl,' how many victims there were." Zelensky also referred to the Chernobyl tragedy and its victims in the post. They’ve been preparing for this (attack),” he said in the post. “Russian tanks are shooting at the atomic blocks equipped with thermal imagers. Ukrainian authorities say the power plant has not sustained any critical damage, and that radiation levels are currently normal, though the situation remains fluid and firefighters continue to battle the blaze.
In a Facebook post early Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of intentionally firing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, after a fire broke out at the facility following heavy shelling from Russian forces. (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky/Facebook) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of a "nuclear terror attack" after a fire broke out at a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.