Ukraine: strikes near a nuclear reactor, departure of three cargo ships loaded with grain
The Russian-controlled Enerhodar (Zaporijjia) nuclear power plant is seen on April 27, 2022 from the Ukrainian-controlled city of Nikopol.
AFP - ED JONES
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Ukraine and Russia on Friday accused each other of strikes near a reactor at Ukraine's Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, the day three new shipments of grain, crucial for global food security, were departed from Ukrainian ports.
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As of Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency was concerned about the growing tensions around the Zaporizhia power plant, under Russian control since March.
The situation was becoming “
more and more dangerous day by day,
” she said.
This Friday, these fears materialized: bombings took place near the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
It was first the Ukrainian state company Energoatom which mentioned "
three strikes
".
A high voltage line was damaged, one of the reactors was shut down.
And the risk of fire is “
high
” judge the company.
In the evening, the Ukrainian president accused Russia of having hit the plant “
twice
”.
"
A shameless crime, an act of terror
," said Volodymir Zelensky.
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense assured him that the shots were Ukrainian.
He claims that 20 shells were fired from Ukrainian positions.
“
It is by pure luck
” that the shots did not hit the oil and fuel tanks and the oxygen production station, estimates Moscow.
"
This helped to avoid a possible radiation accident
," said the Ministry of Defense.
Earlier in the day, Russia had called on the director of the IAEA to go there to see “
who was defending the reactor
” and “
who was attacking it
”.
Convoys in the Black Sea
At the same time, five days after the departure from Odessa of a first cargo ship - expected in Lebanon on Sunday - transporting Ukrainian cereals since the outbreak of the Russian offensive, three other shipments, also of corn, left Ukraine in convoy, announced the Turkish Ministry of Defense.
A series of regular rotations should follow to supply agricultural markets.
The three ships will serve Ireland, England and Turkey, the Turkish ministry said.
Simultaneously, he pointed out, a building is on its way, also to load grain, towards the port of Chernomorsk (southern Ukraine), which it must reach on Saturday, said the Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov.
Russia and Ukraine have signed two separate agreements, validated by Turkey and the United Nations, which allow the export of Ukrainian cereals immobilized by the conflict and Russian agricultural products despite Western sanctions.
They are expected to help ease the global food crisis, which has seen prices soar in some of the poorest countries due to the blocking of Ukrainian ports.
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