UN team leaves for Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
An inspection team from the UN nuclear watchdog is on its way to Ukraine’s embattled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the organization’s head said.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the team was expected to arrive at the plant later this week.
“We must protect the safety and security of Ukraine’s and Europe’s biggest nuclear facility,” he tweeted.
The nuclear plant has been occupied by invading Russian troops since March.
Fighting around the facility in Ukraine’s southeast has led to mounting global concern over the safety and security of the site.
Ukraine and Russia have accused one another of shelling the area.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky said Europe was “one step away” from a radiation disaster on Thursday when the plant was briefly disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid and backup generators kicked in to supply it with power.
He said fires had damaged the overhead power lines, cutting the plant off for the first time in its history.
Ukraine and Russia blamed each other for strikes that caused the damage.
Russia’s military took over the plant in early March, but it is still being operated by Ukrainian staff under difficult conditions.
Agencies