Carlow and Kilkenny continues effort to help people of Ukraine as their President warns “only urgent action by Europe” can stop Russian troops

Russian troops are now in control of Europe’s largest nuclear power station, according to Ukrainian officials.

Shelling overnight caused a fire to break out at the Zaporizhzhia plant.

The blaze was extinguished and radiation levels are said to be normal.

Ukraine’s president says “only urgent action by Europe” will stop the Russian invasion.

Speaking overnight, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he fears this is the catastrophe that could lead to the continent’s “evacuation”

Both the US President and the British Prime Minster have spoken by telephone with the Ukrainian President overnight, to get updates on the blaze.

Boris Johnson says the reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe.

The US Energy department has activated its nuclear incident response team as a precaution.

A million people have left Ukraine to escape the violence in the past week and efforts are continuing locally to gather humanitarian aid to send to those displaced.

Huge quantities of items have been dropped at various collection points across Kilkenny and Carlow in recent days.

Sharon Parker Byrne has told KCLR that three loads have already been sent off from the New Oak Community Centre in Carlow to a depot in Waterford for transport to eastern Europe.

She explains though that they need more medical and baby supplies, toiletries, socks and underwear for the men as well as  things like flashlights and powerbanks.

“Our drop off times are 9am-1pm Monday to Friday or 2pm-4pm Monday to Thursday”