UN watchdog chief: Strikes on Ukrainian nuclear plant ‘worrying’ for Ukraine

The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency has called for an immediate cessation of all military actions near Ukraine Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant After it was bombed, shutting down one of the reactors and creating a “very real risk of nuclear disaster”.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Organization energy The agency said it was “extremely concerned” by reports of damage to the plant, and called on IAEA experts to allow inspections of the damage.

“I am very worried about yesterday’s bombing Europe’s largest nuclear power plantwhich underscores the very real danger of a nuclear catastrophe that could threaten public health and the environment in Ukraine and beyond.

Ukrainian nuclear energy company Energoatom said the attack damaged a power cable and forced one of the reactors to stop working, and that “there are still risks of hydrogen and radioactive material leakage, and the risk of fire is also high.” Grossi said the bombing “caused grave risks to the safe operation of the plant.”

“Military action that threatens the safety and security of a nuclear power plant is totally unacceptable and must be avoided at all costs. Any military firepower directed at or from the facility would amount to playing with fire, with potentially disastrous consequences.”

Kyiv accuses Russian forces of stockpiling heavy weapons in the factory, which they seized in March and are still occupying. Moscow, in turn, accused the Ukrainian forces of targeting it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his Saturday night speech, once again accused Moscow of terrorism, saying: “Russian terrorists have become the first to use the power plant in the world … for terrorism.”

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, condemned the attack as a “serious and irresponsible violation of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.”

Grossi called for a team of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety, security and safeguards experts to be allowed to lead himself to visit the plant.

The European Union criticized Russia for its “military activities” around the station. “The European Union condemns the Russian military activities around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant,” said Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign affairs official. “This is a serious and irresponsible violation of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.”