UN monitor chief calls strike on Ukraine nuclear power plant ‘dangerous’ | Ukraine

The UN nuclear watchdog has called for an immediate halt to all military activity near Ukraine Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant After being hit by a shell, one of the reactors shut down, creating a “real risk of nuclear catastrophe”.

Rafael Mariano Croci, Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency Energy The agency said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of damage to the plant and called for IAEA experts to be allowed to inspect the damage.

“I am deeply disturbed by yesterday’s shelling Largest nuclear power plant in Europe“This underscores the very real danger of a nuclear disaster that could threaten public health and the environment in Ukraine and beyond,” he said.

Ukrainian nuclear company Energoatom said the attack damaged a power cable and forced one of its reactors to stop working, adding that “risks of leaking hydrogen and radioactive materials remain, and the risk of fire is high”. Croci said the shelling “poses a serious risk to the safe operation of the plant”.

“Military action affecting the safety and security of a nuclear power plant is totally unacceptable and must be avoided at all costs. Any military firing directed at or from the facility is tantamount to playing with fire, which can have disastrous consequences.

Kiev accused Russian troops of storing heavy weapons at the plant, which they seized in March and continue to occupy. In turn, Moscow has accused Ukrainian forces of targeting it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his late-night speech on Saturday, once again accused Moscow of terrorism, saying that “Russian terrorists were the first in the world to use a power plant… for terrorism.”

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

Croci called for an IAEA team of security, safety and security experts led by Thane to be allowed to visit the plant.

The European Union criticized Russia for “military actions” around the plant. “The EU condemns Russia’s military actions around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant,” EU foreign affairs chief Joseph Borrell said. “This is a serious and reckless violation of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.”