{"id":2322859,"date":"2024-08-11T22:12:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T02:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/zelensky-says-russia-set-fire-to-nuclear-plant-in-southern-ukraine-to-blackmail-the-world-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-11T22:15:24","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T02:15:24","slug":"zelensky-says-russia-set-fire-to-nuclear-plant-in-southern-ukraine-to-blackmail-the-world-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/zelensky-says-russia-set-fire-to-nuclear-plant-in-southern-ukraine-to-blackmail-the-world-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Zelensky says Russia set fire to nuclear plant in southern Ukraine to \u2018blackmail\u2019 the world &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fzelensky-says-russia-set-fire-to-nuclear-plant-in-southern-ukraine-to-blackmail-the-world-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2322859&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky \u2064accused Russia of setting a fire at the \u200dZaporizhzhia Nuclear\u200d Power Plant in southern Ukraine, claiming\u2064 it was an act\u200b of &#8220;blackmail&#8221; against Ukraine and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/world-economic-forum-suspends-invitation-to-president-trump-from-future-conferences-opens-this-years-globalist-fest-with-chinese-leader-xi-jinping\/\" title=\"World Economic Forum Suspends Invitation to President Trump from Future Conferences \u2013 Opens This Year\u2019s Globalist Fest with Chinese Leader Xi Jinping\">international community<\/a>. Smoke and \u2063flames were reported \u2062at the plant,\u2063 with Zelensky asserting that the fire was initiated by Russian \u200cforces from the nearby city of Nikopol. He reassured that radiation levels were within safe\u2064 limits but stressed that, as long \u2064as Russia controls the \u2063facility, the situation\u2062 remains precarious. Zelensky emphasized that only Ukrainian control of the plant\u200c could ensure safety and normalize conditions, \u200bcalling on the International\u200d Atomic Energy Agency to hold Russia accountable \u2062for its \u200dactions. Local officials noted that the fire may have \u2063been started by burning tires in the cooling towers, labeling \u2064it as a provocation aimed at inciting\u2064 panic.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Zelensky says Russia set fire to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/prageru-why-are-utilities-so-expensive\/\" title=\"PragerU: Why Are Utilities So Expensive?\">nuclear plant<\/a> in southern Ukraine to &lsquo;blackmail&rsquo; the world<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1672554\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/japan-residents-speak-on-magnitude-7-3-earthquake\/\" title=\"Japan residents speak on magnitude 7.3 earthquake\">nuclear <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">power plant<\/a><\/a> in Russia-controlled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>southern Ukraine<\/a> was seen on fire and clouded in smoke on Sunday, and Ukrainian President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/volodymyr-zelensky\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> accused Russia of setting the blaze to &ldquo;blackmail&rdquo; his country and the world.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have recorded from Nikopol that the Russian occupiers have started a fire on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,&rdquo; Zelensky <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ZelenskyyUa\/status\/1822710266674684154\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>wrote on X<\/a>. Nikopol is across the Dnipro River from the power plant.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Enerhodar. We have recorded from Nikopol that the Russian occupiers have started a fire on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, radiation levels are within norm. However, as long as the Russian terrorists maintain control over the nuclear plant, the&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TQUi3BJg4J\">pic.twitter.com\/TQUi3BJg4J<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy \/ &#1042;&#1086;&#1083;&#1086;&#1076;&#1080;&#1084;&#1080;&#1088; &#1047;&#1077;&#1083;&#1077;&#1085;&#1089;&#1100;&#1082;&#1080;&#1081; (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ZelenskyyUa\/status\/1822710266674684154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 11, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The Ukrainian president assured his followers that the radiation levels at the power plant are &ldquo;within norm&rdquo; but that as long as Russia controls it, the situation is &ldquo;not and cannot be normal.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Since the first day of its seizure, Russia has been using the Zaporizhzhia NPP only to blackmail [International Atomic Energy Agency] to react. Russia must be held accountable for this. Only Ukrainian control over the Zaporizhzhia NPP can guarantee a return to normalcy and complete safety.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The head of the Ukrainian-controlled military administration in the Nikopol district, Yevhen Yevtushenko, said he had unofficial information that Russia started the fire by setting car tires ablaze in the cooling towers.<\/p>\n<p>He called it &ldquo;a provocation, or an attempt to create panic&rdquo; and clarified that the plant is &ldquo;operating as normal as possible under the conditions of occupation,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/08\/11\/world\/russian-controlled-nuclear-plant-fire-ukraine-intl\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>per<\/a> CNN.<\/p>\n<p>Russia, on the other hand, accused Ukraine of the fire on the plant&rsquo;s territory.<\/p>\n<p>Yevgeniy Balitsky, the Russian-appointed official in control of occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia, said the fire was &ldquo;a result of shelling of the city of Enerhodar by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.&rdquo;&nbsp;He also maintained there was no radiation threat to the nuclear plant or the city of Enerhodar.<\/p>\n<p>The IAEA said its experts &ldquo;witnessed strong dark smoke&rdquo; coming from the plant&rsquo;s northern side following &ldquo;multiple explosions heard in the evening.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Team was told by ZNPP of an alleged drone attack today on one of the cooling towers located at the site. No impact has been reported for nuclear safety,&rdquo; the organization added.<\/p>\n<p>Ukraine has been fighting to defend its land since Russia&rsquo;s invasion in February 2022. However, the war has reached a new stage, as Zelensky confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian forces <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3117830\/zelensky-confirms-ukrainian-troops-fighting-russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>moved into Russia<\/a> as part of a surprise counteroffensive.<\/p>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1672554\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1672554\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of igniting a fire at a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, which is under Russian control, as a means of &#8220;blackmailing&#8221; both Ukraine and the international community. On Sunday, smoke was observed rising from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, prompting Zelensky to report via X that the Russian occupiers had started the fire. He noted that Nikopol, located across the Dnipro River from the plant, recorded this incident. While he assured that radiation levels remain normal at present, he emphasized that as long as Russia maintains control over the facility, conditions cannot be considered safe or normal. Zelensky stated that since its capture by Russia, the Zaporizhzhia NPP has been used to manipulate responses from international bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), insisting on accountability for such actions and asserting that only Ukrainian oversight can restore safety.<\/p>\n<p>Yevhen Yevtushenko, head of Ukraine&#8217;s military administration in Nikopol district, claimed to have unofficial reports indicating that Russia initiated the fire by burning car tires in cooling towers\u2014a move he described as either a provocation or an attempt to incite panic. He confirmed that operations at the plant were proceeding as normally as possible given its occupation. Conversely, Russian officials attributed blame for the fire to Ukrainian forces shelling Enerhodar city nearby and insisted there was no radiation risk posed to either the nuclear facility or Enerhodar itself.<\/p>\n<p>The IAEA reported observing significant smoke emanating from one side of the plant following multiple explosions heard earlier in the evening and mentioned being informed about an alleged drone attack on one of its cooling towers without any reported impact on nuclear safety.<\/p>\n<p>Since Russia&#8217;s invasion began in February 2022, Ukraine has been engaged in defending its territory; however, recent developments indicate an escalation with Zelensky confirming Ukrainian forces have launched surprise counteroffensives into Russian territory<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2734,"featured_media":2322860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Zelensky-Ukraine.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[37852,4280,37853,8630],"class_list":["post-2322859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-nuclear-plant","tag-russia","tag-southern-ukraine","tag-zelensky"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Zelensky-Ukraine.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2734"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2322859"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322859\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2322860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2322859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2322859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2322859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}