The world must “come down hard on Putin” following the Kremlin’s attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Dominic Raab has said.

Speaking to Times Radio, the British deputy prime minister said the Russian forces’ actions were “clearly reckless”.

“It is an affront to the world at large,” he added.

Mariupol has come under heavy Russian bombardment in recent days, with the town’s council warning that a humanitarian crisis looms.

The southeastern port city is still under Ukrainian control but it is now encircled by Russian troops, according to British military intelligence.

“Mariupol remains under Ukrainian control but has likely been encircled by Russian forces,” the Ministry of Defence said. “The city’s civilian infrastructure has been subjected to intense Russian strikes.”

The adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged the western nations to take the responsibility for ending the war on European nation.

“The logic of this war is the build-up of missile and air strikes on civilian infrastructure, large cities and civilians. Only a “closed sky” will sharply stop the escalation. It’s time for Western partners to take responsibility for ending the war,” adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, Mykhailo Podolyak said today.

Russian forces have successfully captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine’s southeast part, officials from the regional administration confirmed today.

“Currently, the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is occupied by the military forces of the Russian federation,” a statement released by the Ukrainian authorities read.

It comes shortly after the military forces of the Russian federation performed shelling the nuclear power plant facility, as a result of which a fire broke out on the site, the officials said.

Calling for the assassination of Russian president Vladimir Putin by someone close to him, US senator Lindsay Graham asked if there is a “Brutus” who can take him out and end the war.

The country’s invasion of Ukraine entered its ninth day on Friday.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant personnel are taking mitigatory actions after the facility’s surrounding regions came under attack during Russian invasion, officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

The ‘essential’ equipment at the nuclear facility was not affected after a fire and no change was observed in the radiation levels, the energy agency said.

The plant in Ukraine’s southeast was shelled heavily overnight.

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Officials in Russia have restricted access to BBC Russian service, Radio Liberty and Meduza media outlet, Moscow’s communications watchdog said today.

This comes just a day after the BBC was accused of undermining internal political situation and security in Russia by the country’s foreign ministry.

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s “reckless actions” could directly threaten the safety of all of Europe, Boris Johnson said on Friday, shortly after the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility in Ukraine’s southeast came under grave threat from shelling.

“Russia must immediately cease its attack on the power station and allow unfettered access for emergency services to the plant,” he added.

In a press release Downing Street said: “The prime minister said the reckless actions of President Putin could now directly threaten the safety of all of Europe.”

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Home rental company Airbnb Inc has decided to suspend all its operations in Russia and Belarus, its ally in invading Ukraine, company’s CEO Brian Chesky said on Twitter.

His profile name carried the icon of Ukraine’s flag, which has been a key way on social media platforms to show solidarity with the European country.

The fire at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been put out, officials from Ukraine’s state emergency service said.