"A nuclear disaster could take place. A nuclear reactor is working, its power supply stops because of the shelling... How could a reactor be cooled down? Not cooling it down could lead to the reactor's overheating, and then it could result in a disaster," Renat Karchaa told Russian broadcaster Channel One.
On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian troops subjected the Zaporozhye NPP to massive artillery shelling, damaging strategic facilities by conducting strikes with 155-caliber NATO ammunition in the first mass shelling since late September.
A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) examined the damage and, while confirming its "widespread" scale, said that they had found no immediate nuclear safety threats. However, IAEA head Rafael Grossi said he had "intensified consultations" on the creation of a protection zone around the plant.
Located on the left bank of the Dnepr River, the Zaporozhye NPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe by number of units and output.
During the military operation in Ukraine, launched by Russia on February 24, the nuclear plant and surrounding area went under the control of Russian forces and have since been shelled many times. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the attacks.