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New satellite images show damage to the roof of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant building.
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Europe’s largest factory in southern Ukraine has been occupied by Russia for months.
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It has also been the scene of recent fighting, and monitoring agencies have expressed concern.
Satellite images released Monday show localized fires and damage to buildings at the Zaporizhiya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, which the occupying Russian forces are using as a shield.
One image taken by Maxar Technologies and obtained by Insider shows several holes in the roof of the power plant building. The power plant has suffered fire and explosion damage amid ongoing fighting and artillery shelling in the area. Some of the holes appear to have dark burn marks around them, but the exact cause is unknown.
Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, since early March. Since then, international watchdogs have consistently expressed concern that fighting near the factory could cause major disasters.
In recent weeks hostilities and artillery fire around the plant have damaged the facility, disconnected Take it from the local power grid. Ukraine’s state-owned energy operator last week blamed Russia for the first disruption in its decades-long history. Shelling in early August also caused partial attacks power off at the factory.
Among other things, the British Ministry of Defense said that the Russian army Use plant protection status as a shieldleave Ukraine reluctant to attack Because I don’t want a nuclear accident. Meanwhile, the Nuclear Observatory has warned that the safety and security of nuclear power plants must be ensured.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Executive Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Said On Monday, “the day has come” for the mission to move to the nuclear power plant and check and inspect its stability. He said the mission will arrive later this week.
Below is another image of the Zaporizhzhia plant taken by Maxar on Monday, showing smoke from an armored personnel carrier and nearby fires.
Read the original article at business insider