WATCH: Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest, catches fire after Russian attack

The largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporizhzhia, is on fire following a Russian attack, Ukraine`s foreign minister said on Friday, as he called for a security zone and firefighters to be allowed to tackle the incident.

Soon after the news of the fire in the Zaporizhzhia nuke plant broke, Adviser to the Head of the Office of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted a video of the nuclear power plant’s fire.

#WATCH | Adviser to the Head of the Office of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweets a video of "Zaporizhzhia NPP under fire..."#RussiaUkraine pic.twitter.com/R564tmQ4vs

— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2022

"Zaporizhzhia NPP under fire..." he captioned the video.

A generating unit at the plant has been hit during an attack by Russian troops and part of the station is on fire, the RIA news agency cited the Ukrainian atomic energy ministry as saying on Friday.

"Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

"Fire has already broken out ... Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!"

Meanwhile, IAEA Director-General Rafael MarianoGrossi spoke with Ukraine PM Denys Shmygal & Ukrainian nuclear regulator & operator; appeals for a halt to use of force and warns of severe danger if reactors hit.

There has been fierce fighting in the area about 550 kilometres (342 miles) southeast of Kyiv, the mayor of the nearby town of Energodar said in an online post. He said there had been casualties, without giving details.

Russia has already captured the defunct Chernobyl plant, some 100 km north of Ukraine`s capital, Kyiv.