Zaporizhzhia residents 'scared' as crisis unfolds at nearby nuclear plant

Record ID: 1686329

  • Title: Zaporizhzhia residents 'scared' as crisis unfolds at nearby nuclear plant
  • Date: 26th August 2022
  • Summary: ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE (AUGUST 26, 2022) (REUTERS) CARS DRIVING ON ROAD UKRAINIAN FLAGS FLYING VARIOUS OF ‘HEDGEHOGS’ ANTI-TANK BARRICADES AND SAND BAGS PLACED OUTSIDE ZAPORIZHZHIA CITY COUNCIL (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) ZAPORIZHZHIA RESIDENT AND DEPUTY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, 46, HANNA KUZ, SAYING: “There are fears that they (Ukrainian authorities) won’t be able to warn us on time (in case of radiation fallout), or that we won’t respond to it in the right way. Or that there will be a widespread psychosis (among the locals), which could cause panic among the population. Of course, there are fears. Especially yesterday, when we heard that the station was turned off completely.” VARIOUS OF ZAPORIZHZHIA REGION STATE ADMINISTRATION AND FLAGS WAVING (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) ZAPORIZHZHIA RESIDENT AND POLITICAL EXPERT, 45, ROMAN PIATYHORETS, SAYING: “According to all the norms and laws, the responsibility is on the occupier. For the lives of people, for the objects on the occupied territory. No matter what stories they’re telling. Even if they say that it’s us who fire at the objects, it is still their responsibility. If you (referring to Russians) can’t keep that dome, that object, then leave! Follow the Russian ship and leave the nuclear power station. Let the IAEA commission in, let the specialists do the revision and conserve the object, while fighting is still going on.” EXTERIOR OF SHOPPING MALL PEOPLE CROSSING STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) ZAPORIZHZHIA RESIDENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER, 25, MARIA VARAKINA, SAYING: “Of course I am scared. Everyone is scared, we don’t know what will happen next, what is waiting for us every next minute, every second. I’ve already heard that they’re giving out potassium iodide in the Khortytsia region. I don’t know if it’s true or just fearmongering.” PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET CARS DRIVING ON ROAD UKRAINIAN FLAG ON BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ZAPORIZHZHIA RESIDENT AND WEB DEVELOPER, 31, OLEKSANDR SLYVA, SAYING: “We bought facial masks and potassium iodide, hoping it will help just in case. Then we are planning to leave. During the evacuation. Because the government said there would be an evacuation in that case.” PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET EXTERIOR OF ZAPORIZHZHIA REGION STATE ADMINISTRATION
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2022 13:52
  • Keywords: Russian invasion eastern Ukraine electricity nuclear fallout nuclear power plant nuclear threat war in Ukraine
  • Location: ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE
  • City: ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA001082426082022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Residents in the eastern city of Zaporizhzhia, some 120 km (74 miles) to the northwest of the Russia-held nuclear power plant, expressed alarm on Friday (August 26) after the plant was disconnected a day before.
    “Of course I am scared. Everyone is scared, we don’t know what will happen next, what is waiting for us every next minute, every second,” 25-year-old social media manager Maria Varakina told Reuters.
    The world narrowly escaped a radiation disaster when electricity to Europe's largest nuclear power plant was cut off for hours, Ukraine's president said, urging international bodies to act faster to force Russian troops to vacate the site.
    President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian shelling on Thursday (August 25) had sparked fires in the ash pits of a nearby coal power station that disconnected the Zaporozhzhia plant from the power grid. A Russian official said Ukraine was to blame.
    Ukraine's state nuclear company Energoatom said electricity for the plant's own needs was now being supplied through a power line from Ukraine's electricity system. It later said one of the plant's two functioning reactors had been reconnected to that grid.
    The regional authorities in Zaporizhzhia said more than 18,000 people across several settlements remained without electricity on Friday due to damage caused to power lines, without specifying which lines they meant.
    A Reuters cameraman said there was electricity as normal in the city of Zaporizhzhia on Friday.
    Russia invaded Ukraine in February, captured the plant in March and has controlled it since, though Ukrainian staff still runs it. Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling the site, fueling fears of a nuclear disaster.
    (Production: Sergiy Chalyi, Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey, Margaryta Chornokondratenko)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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