Livestreamed footage shows explosions as heavy weapons target the facility in southern Ukraine

  • A live feed from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station showed flames at site
  • Earlier, tanks had been seen firing at buildings in the facility in east Ukraine
  • Missiles have been fired by Russian forces in battle for the nuclear power plant
  • Fire and black smoke was seen earlier today on main road near city of Enerhodar
  • Two brave civilians is seen throwing at molotov cocktail in social media footage
  • Volunteers built makeshift roadblocks with lorries and piles of tyres Wednesday
  • Russia told International Atomic Energy Agency it took control of around plant 
  • Click here for MailOnline’s liveblog with the latest updates on the Ukraine crisis 

A fire has been seen at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine after tanks opened fire with heavy weapons at the facility, footage in the early hours of Friday morning showed.

A live feed from the Zaporizhzhia station showed flames at the site in the east of country, having earlier showed tanks firing at buildings – sparking fears of a radiation disaster in the nation currently being invaded by Russian forces.

Dmytro Orlov, the mayor of the nearby town of Energodar, confirmed the blaze in an online post. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest of its kind in Europe.

‘As a result of continuous enemy shelling of buildings and units of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire,’ Orlov said on his Telegram channel, citing what he called a threat to world security.

Earlier, Ukrainian authorities reported Russian troops were stepping up efforts to seize the plant and had entered the town with tanks.

The shocking footage came after Ukrainian civilians defied Russian troops for a second day running in a bid to protect the nuclear plant. They were shown setting up make-shift road blocks in an attempt to block the road to the facility.

Both the Ukrainian state atomic energy company and Orlov said troops were nearing Zaporizhzhia. Officials said loud shots were heard in the city late Thursday.

‘Many young men in athletic clothes and armed with Kalashnikov have come into the city. They are breaking down door and trying to get into the apartments of local residents,’ the statement from Energoatom said.