Ukrainians Block Russian Soldiers From Taking Control Of Nuclear Plant

Russian forces are advancing inside Ukraine, aiming to take control of more cities. But the resistance is equally strong. Not just soldiers, civilians too are doing their bit to either stop or push back Russian soldiers.

In this series of efforts, a video has emerged on social media which shows a group of Ukrainians blocking access road to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to prevent Russian soldiers from taking control. The video is from Enerhodar, in southeast of Ukraine.

The footage of the blockade was first shared by Enerhodar mayor Dmytro Orlov on Facebook, which shows people of the city using tyres and lorries to block the way of Russian soldiers. It was later posted by many Ukrainian politicians after reports emerged that Orlov's page gas been blocked. The video showed people carrying Ukrainian flags and garbage trucks parked on the road.

Another video of civilians pouring out to stop the RU invaders in Energodar. #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineKrieg #РоссияБЕЗпутина pic.twitter.com/lDQEkX1nls

— olexander scherba???????? (@olex_scherba) March 2, 2022

Orlov said in the post that the nuclear power plant is under reliable protection. "Nobody is going to surrender the city. People are determined," the mayor further said.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest nuclear plant in Europe.

The video was posted after Russia informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that its military forces had taken control of the territory around the power plant, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Tuesday.

The IAEA held an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to weigh up a draft resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Its chief Grossi also conducted consultations in order to address a request from Ukraine's nuclear regulator to extend immediate assistance to ensure the safety of Chernobyl and other nuclear facilities in the country.

Enerhodar is about 240 kilometres from Crimea, which the Russia had annexed in 2014.

Ukraine has four active nuclear power plants, providing about half the country's electricity, as well as stores of nuclear waste such as the one at Chernobyl, and fears linger over the possible consequences should they be damaged in the fighting.

Chernobyl was the site of the worst nuclear accident in history in 1986 and last Thursday, the site fell to Russian troops.

The advancing Russian forces on Thursday captured Kherson, according to local officials in Ukraine. Russian air strikes have also targeted built-up areas in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Chernihiv.