World leaders have condemned Russia after its seizure of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant resulted in a fire breaking out at the site..
Russian troops took the Zaporizhzhia plant - the largest nuclear plant in Europe - in a reckless attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claims could have caused "six Chernobyls".
The fire broke out at the plant during the attack and has since been extinguished. Officials report that the site is now safe, per Reuters.
According to a report from an official at Energoatom - the state enterprise that runs Ukraine's nuclear plants - disaster has been averted, as fighting at the site has ceased, and radiation is again at a normal level.
In a televised address, President Zelensky reassured citizens that the nuclear fallout had been averted for now. Per a translation by BBC News, the president said: "People of Ukraine! We survived the night that could have stopped the course of history - history of Ukraine, history of Europe."
Zelensky went on to say that Russian military command knew what they were doing when they aimed shells directly at the nuclear station and claimed that the attack was an act of "terror on an unheard-of level".
He then addressed Russian citizens, saying: "How is this even possible? Didn't we fight the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe together in 1986?"
Zelensky then urged them to fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling them to "take to the streets and tell your government that you want to live".
The president ended his address by stating the need for a no-fly zone over Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, which he condemned as a "nuclear terrorist state".
Zelensky was joined by Western powers, who have criticized Russia heavily for their attack on the plant.
BBC News reports that NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the attack "demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it and the importance of Russia withdrawing all its troops and engaging in good faith in diplomatic efforts."
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne tweeted that she was "deeply concerned" about the attack, saying that it demonstrated "the recklessness & dangers" of Putin's war.
If you would like to know how you can support the Ukrainian people at this time, click HERE to find a list of organizations and groups dedicated to helping those affected by this crisis.
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