Ukraine backs UN call for nuclear plant safe zone

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed calls by the UN nuclear agency for a safety protection zone at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The plant has been occupied by Russia since the start of the war and it has come under repeated attack since, with both sides blaming each other.

The UN says that the shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear power station must end immediately.

Shelling could cause unlimited release of radioactive materials, it said.

In a report published on Tuesday, following last week’s much-awaited visit, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that the presence of Russian military equipment on site could undermine its security.

Shelling continued while a 14-strong IAEA team visited the site last week and its head, Rafael Grossi, warned at the time of a very real risk of nuclear disaster. Although most of the team left the plant after two days, it said two of its officials would remain there on a permanent basis.

Zelensky said he would support the safety zone if it aimed to demilitarise the territory of the nuclear plant. Zelensky said the report noted the presence of Russian military hardware on the territory of the plant and referred to pressure on employees, alongside “clear references to the Russian military occupation”.

The plant lies on the southern bank of the River Dnieper, across the water from Ukrainian-held towns and military positions.

Agencies