Yesterday, on August 18, during a summit with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lviv UN Secretary General António Guterres has said he is «gravely concerned» about fighting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, informs BBC.
«Any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia is suicide,» Guterres warned. Erdogan echoed the UN chief’s concerns.
Turkish Leader told reporters that he was worried about the danger of «another Chernobyl» disaster erupting at the plant.
The appeals come as Ukrainian staff, who are working at the plant under Russian direction, warned of a potential nuclear catastrophe at the facility, saying in the past two weeks it has become «the target of continuous military attacks».
«What is happening is horrific and beyond common sense and morality,» staff wrote in a Telegram post (in Ukrainian).
Later on Thursday, August 18, an official Twitter channel used by the Ukrainian government said that members of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, had «left the facility in a rush, and an “unexpected day off” had been announced.
«Ukrainian intelligence officers believe that the Russians are preparing a provocation at the [facility],» Ukraine’s Centre for Information security tweeted.
Despite the concern, the site is said to be far more secure than the Chernobyl plant – the site of the worst nuclear incident in history.
The reactor is in a steel–reinforced concrete building that can «withstand extreme external events, both natural and man–made, such as an aircraft crash or explosions,» experts told the BBC in March.
There were reports ahead of the summit that Erdogan would offer to arrange a summit between Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Turkish leader maintains a close working relationship with Putin, and speaking to reporters after the meeting, Erdogan said he believed the war would «come to the end at the negotiating table».
While Mr Zelensky welcomed the leader’s visit and Turkey’s «powerful message of support», he flatly rejected suggestions that it could be in a position to broker peace talks.
Zelensky told reporters that he was «very surprised» to hear from Erdogan that Moscow would be ready for some kind of peace. «There is no trust towards the Russian Federation,» Zelensky said, saying that Russia must withdraw its troops, first and foremost.