Nuclear scare: Fire at Ukrainian nuclear facility extinguished

A fire that broke out after Russian forces shelled Europe’s largest nuclear facility in Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine has been extinguished.

The development in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine caused widespread shock and condemnation from world leaders.

Mayor Dmytro Orlov of nearby Enerhodar had said the fire was caused by "continuous enemy shelling".

The nuclear plant provides a quarter of electiricty in Ukraine. The Atomic Energy Agency said radiation levels at the power plant were reported to be within a normal range.

A regional official said the safety of the plant is "secured".

Meanwhile, the strategic port city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine remained under consistent attack with leaders there describing the Russian aggression as genocide.

Russia has so far only seized one major city - Kherson in southern Ukraine. However, it has continued to shell other cities and tighten the noose around key cities in the north and south.

Russian forces appear to also be making preparations to attack the southern port city of Odesa.

An Estonian-owned cargo ship sunk off the coast of Ukraine in the Black Sea after an explosion.

The owners said two crew members ended up in a life-raft at sea and four others were initially missing - all six were later picked up by a local Ukrainian rescue service.

The Panama-flagged ship is owned by Estonia-based company Vista Shipping Agency. Baltic state Estonia is a member of NATO and has a border with Russia.

The vessel had been anchored off the Ukrainian coast after leaving the southern port of Chornomorsk near Odesa a number of days ago. It is not clear what caused the blast.

Ukraine's military says that Russia is sending amphibious landing vessels to capture Odesa, a city of a million people and a major seaport, as it continues its advance across southern Ukraine.