Blast Hurts Russia-Backed Mayor Of Ukraine Town With Nuke Plant

The Russian-appointed head of the occupied Ukrainian town next to Europe's largest nuclear power plant was injured in an explosion on Sunday, a Ukrainian official and a Russian news agency said, Conor Humphries and Max Hunder reported for Reuters.

Photo Insert: Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Andrei Shevchik, who was appointed mayor of Enerhodar following the Russian army's occupation of the town, was in intensive care following the attack, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing a source in the emergency services.

"We have accurate confirmation that during the explosion the self-proclaimed head of the 'people's administration' Shevchik and his bodyguards were injured," Dmytro Orlov, who Ukraine recognizes as mayor of the town said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

Enerhodar is a town with a pre-war population of over 50,000. Many residents work at the two power plants located next to the town, one of which is the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear power station in Europe.

Ukraine has previously complained that Russia's occupation of the plant raises the risk of a nuclear disaster.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm the attack. Ukraine last week said it had attacked an armored train carrying Russian troops in the occupied southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol.

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