An assault on the most important nuclear energy plant in Europe has been labelled "catastrophic" by Ukraine's Cost d'Affaires in Australia.
"The implications of such large explosion, particularly making an allowance for that there are 5 extra nuclear reactors standing close by that very reactor that's underneath hearth, and Russian tanks proceed to shell, can be catastrophic for the whole European civilisation," Volodymyr Shalkivskyi solely instructed 9News hours after first experiences of the incident.
In keeping with Ukrainian officers, the hearth broke out at 2.30am, native time (11.30am AEDT), following shelling by Russian troops.
Ukraine's overseas minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed the experiences on Twitter.
"(The) Russian military is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant," he tweeted.
"Fireplace has already broke out. If it blows up, it is going to be 10 instances bigger than Chernobyl. Russians should instantly stop the hearth, permit firefighters, set up a safety zone!"
Mr Shalkivskyi echoed the overseas minister's fears.
"I can remind that Chernobyl, that occurred in 1986 close to Kyiv, was only one reactor - within the Zaporizhzhia, we've six nuclear reactors," he mentioned.
Mr Shalkivskyi mentioned as a consequence of continued shelling by Russian troops, firefighters had been unable to succeed in the plant.
"That is the primary time in world historical past that one nation intentionally is attempting to assault and create a nuclear accident on the territory of one other nation," he mentioned.
"After all, it is of very grave concern, very critical concern for everything of Europe.
"That is only a clear instance of how far Mr Putin himself can go with the intention to obtain his targets.
"They've to alter their techniques and now we witness he's threatening with destruction over total territory of Ukraine with the intention to reach his place, in his plan to indicate the world how highly effective he's.
"Beneath such circumstances, it leaves us actually small room for negotiations.
"Kremlin wish to destroy, to kill us. How can we attain an settlement underneath such circumstances?"
Mr Shalkivskyi mentioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken with US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in regards to the unfolding scenario, because the nation calls on its Western allies for pressing assist.
"He additionally spoke to the top of the (Worldwide) Atomic Vitality Company," Mr Shalkivskyi mentioned.
"We now have personnel, vitality specialists in place.
"A few of them are literally wounded and we would not have chance to ship emergencies to that place as a result of the lively shelling continues.
"We name for assist to the worldwide neighborhood to intervene."
Ukrainian authorities mentioned the hearth was extinguished at 3.20pm (AEDT).
Footage seize the human toll of Russia's Ukraine invasion