Europe’s biggest nuclear plant knocked offline risking meltdown catastrophe in DAYS after Putin missile blitz on Ukraine
EUROPE'S biggest nuclear plant has been hit by a blackout after being shelled by Russian troops.
It's feared the outage at the site in Zaporizhzhia could spark a radiation leak.
Ukraine's state-owned power generating company Energoatom said the outage was due to Russian shelling overnight of an external power line.
The Dniprovska power line in Ukraine supplies power for the now Moscow-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Diesel generators have been switched on at the plant in a bit to stave off disaster.
But the fuel supply is only enough to last for ten days - with external power vital to keep pumps cooling nuclear material in power units.
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If the external power supply is not reconnected within this period, it could "risk the nuclear and radiation safety of the whole world", reports Ukrainian site .
It comes just weeks after Vladimir Putin sparked a "mad panic" by ordering the mass evacuation of a town close to the plant.
UN's nuclear watchdog warned of a "severe nuclear accident" after Moscow ordered the emptying of 18 towns and villages closest to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, where most of its workers live.
Ukrainian officials said there were five-hour waits as thousands of cars fled the area as Putin's orders created a "mad panic" over an approaching nuclear disaster.
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The latest outage at the plant came as Russian forces unleashed missiles on Ukraine overnight.
In nearby Dnipropetrovsk, at least eight people were hurt and dozens of buildings damaged in the air attack.
Ukraine said its air defence systems destroyed 20 drones and four cruise missiles.
The country's air force said on Telegram: "The Russian invaders attacked military and infrastructure facilities of the eastern outpost of Ukraine - the city of Dnipro.
"The attack was carried out by 16 different types of missiles and 20 Shahed-136/131 strike drones."
It comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky insisted Ukrainian troops are still fighting as Russia continues to claim it has taken control of Bakhmut.
The bloody eight-month-long battle with Putin's forces and the Wagner Group private army has left the bombed blitzed city in ruins.
Despite appearing to earlier confirm the Russians were now in control the city, Zelensky later said in a press conference at the G7 in Japan that the city is "not occupied".
But he admitted the city was "completely destroyed" - comparing the scenes to the aftermath of the nuclear bombs which were dropped by the US on Hiroshima at the end of World War 2.
Fighting around the eastern city - which was once home to 70,000 people - has been some of the most vicious since the Russians invaded last February.
