Ukrainian shelling started a fire at one of the cooling towers at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to Zaporizhzhia’s Russian-installed governor, Yevgeny Balitsky.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its experts stationed at the ZNPP, which has been under Russian control since February 2022, saw dark smoke rising at the plant after hearing multiple explosions. They were told by plant officials that one of the cooling towers was targeted by an alleged Ukrainian drone attack.
The IAEA said there was no reported impact on nuclear safety as a result of the fire, and Balitsky said radiation levels around the plant were normal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is claiming that the fire was started by Russians who control the plant. The ZNPP is located in the town of Enerhodar on the south bank of the Dnieper River. Russia controls the territory on the southern bank, while Ukraine controls the territory on the northern side.
Zelensky wrote on X that a video of the fire at the plant was recorded from the city of Nikopol, which is across the river. “Enerhodar. We have recorded from Nikopol that the Russian occupiers have started a fire on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” he wrote.
Zelensky also said the radiation levels at the plant were normal. “However, as long as the Russian terrorists maintain control over the nuclear plant, the situation is not and cannot be normal,” he added.
The ZNPP and the area around it have come under frequent shelling throughout the war, which Ukraine always blames on Russia. Ukrainian forces have launched several failed attempts to retake the plant.
Big noise about nothing – cooling towers made of water, metal pipes and concrete – i.e. not the thing that is burning. The plant in cold shutdown i.e. the cooling towers not essential before someone wants to restart the plant.
Hence the conclusion has to be that this is one big nothing burger.
Attacking a nuclear power plant is usually considered a pretty serious matter. The Russians might take it pretty seriously accordingly. Cooling towers are not entirely decorative to nuclear power plants, even in in shutdown. The fuel rods need cooling. Active cooling. With pumps and heat exchangers. Or in other words with (lots of) water flowing through metal pipes.
Yes indeed, but then there is no proof that the Ukrainians did this – as pointed out shelling these towers would not have caused a fire – there simply is not stuff there to burn.
No in the shutdown phase the cooling towers are simply superfluous to cooling – the heat generated is orders of magnitude lower than when active.
Cooling is necessary but for safety reasons the cooling towers are not necessary while in the shut down phase.
Otherwise the plant would be unreasonably vulnerable as it could never be shut down for cooling tower repair/maintenance.
For design reasons nuclear power plants has been designed this vulnerable.
I don't know enough about that, but it doesn't sound completely implausible to me. And it is compatible with the lackadaisical attitude of the IAEA at least. I will go look into it. And if you're right, then you're right.
Good of you to admit as much – there simply is nothing in a cooling tower that can burn – not unless the Russians have put it there.
And the artificial lake is quite cooling enough for the plant when in the shut down phase.
Yes and No. Just as the Paris Phony Olympics were an absurd, way over the top, celebration of EU unity, beauty, generosity, and strength to boost sociatal morale for the coming big war, the Kursk "invasion" was to restore credibility to NATO against the common enemy.
Don't follow sports never have, so hard to comment on the 4 year competition in pharma development.
Not myself sure about the Kursk diversion – could b work though it seems not to be the case so far. Not at all a NATO thing that much seems to be fairly clear from the very limited and mixed press it is getting.
But it may have been a Ukrainian attempt at changing the narrative in western media – if so it was poorly timed and has had limited effect.
My guess would be that if it was a press stunt they would have postponed it to after the Olympics not coinciding with the wall to wall coverage of the end of the Olympics.
But that is just my two cents on propaganda moves.
If you are suggesting that this is the Russians burning rubber at the bottom of the cooling towers to change the narrative in the media – then I'm leaning towards agreeing with you, and concluding that it is a fairly successful 'operation'.
It was a bold dash at the giant … to no apparent effect, that’s true … and commentators aren’t gushing over it like the pholy olympics … so, ok, but I don’t see how they could have done it without NATO involvement.
How do you see them getting the the 32 countries of NATO involved without the Russians getting wind of it? I can see them involving the US and maybe UK plus Poland but anyone else and the thing will be leaked.
That is unless you think that NATO is flawless – the 'recent' German leaks would suggest otherwise as would the US ones.
By NATO I meant that small group of generals in a war room in Germany who assist with tatics, strategy, and intel.
Are you sure it is in Germany?
No, … likely a moveable feast. Anyway, the thinking (re NATO involvement) goes: it replicates Hitler’s almost successful desperation thrust to the West, The Battle of the Bulge. A ‘stroke of genius’ that could only have come from the military West, from NATO
I just do not think the Germans are trusted by the US/UK – and I have doubts about the ability of the staff of all NATO members when it comes to operating without air superiority.
"they were told by plant officials", "alleged Ukrainian drone attack" – what those international experts are doing there if they can confirm nothing, and only repeating what they were told? It reminds of the terrorist attack on Nord Stream gas pipelines. Experts came, looked and went without making any conclusion. It looks, those experts are taking orders from the same center where Zelensky is taking orders from.
A fire at or near a nuclear facility?… Ah, surely there is a nuclear fire hose?…
Ahem.
Yeah, right Mr. Z. But, most Americans will believe him and rally around the flag believing this war has anything to do with the security of the American people.
Needless to say, Dave had to write this story himself since the Zelensky water-carriers in the MSM didn't report it truthfully, I'm sure.