Ukrainian, European Council leaders discuss situation at Zaporizhzhia NPP

KIEV, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted on Sunday he had discussed the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP) in southern Ukraine with European Council President Charles Michel.

Ukraine and Russia on Sunday exchanged accusations over a fresh strike on the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is one of the largest atomic power complexes in Europe and generates a quarter of Ukraine's total electricity.

At the talks, Zelensky informed Michel about the situation at the plant, and urged the imposition of sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry and nuclear fuel in the wake of the attacks.

Earlier in the day, Ukraine's state-run nuclear energy operator Energoatom accused Russian forces of shelling the power plant, saying the latest rocket attacks on Saturday hit the area next to the plant's dry storage facility, where 174 containers with spent nuclear fuel were stored in the open air.

On Sunday, the TASS news agency reported that the administration of Energodar city, which is home to the nuclear power plant, blamed the Ukrainian army for the overnight attacks.

The city said Ukrainian troops launched a strike against the plant using the 220-mm Uragan multiple launch rocket system on Saturday night. The storage facility for spent nuclear fuel was in the affected area.

It added that the submunitions and the rocket engine fell within 400 meters of the operating power unit.