"Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Fire has already broke out. If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!", he tweeted.

The Mayor of the nearby town of Energodar Dmytro Orlov also confirmed the fire breakout.

"A threat to world security!!! As a result of relentless shelling by the enemy of the buildings and blocks of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire!!!", he wrote in a social media post.

"I demand, stop! Immediately stop shelling the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant point blank,” the mayor the mayor said in a video message as reported by CNN.

In an earlier post he wrote, “stop shelling the Zaporizhzhia power plant".

The Mayor further confirmed that firefighters are unable to reach the location of the fire.

"The Zaporizhzhia Power Plant is notifying of a threat at the first block of the power plant! The fire at the plant is continuing. The firefighters cannot reach the location of the fire,” he posted.

"Intense fighting is ongoing on approach routes to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Our National Guard fighters are defending. There are victims, but the exact number and condition so far cannot be determined under the circumstances," he added.

(With UNI inputs/Images couresy: Wikiipedia Commons/UNI)