The “alarming” situation at a Russian-held nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine had reached a “critical hour,” the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Thursday, calling for an immediate inspection of the facility by international experts. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned that parts of the Zaporizhia nuclear plant had been hit in recent attacks, with the risk of an “unacceptable” potential radioactive leak. “IAEA experts believe there is no immediate threat to nuclear security,” but “that could change at any time,” Grossi said. “Any military action that endangers nuclear security, nuclear safety, must be stopped immediately,” he added. “These military actions near such a large nuclear facility could lead to very serious consequences.” Ukraine and Russia accuse each other: The Zaporizhzhia facility — Europe’s largest nuclear plant — occupies a sprawling site on the Dnipro River near the Russian-held town of Enerhodar. It has continued to operate at reduced capacity since Russian forces seized it in early March, with Ukrainian technicians remaining on the job. Russia and Ukraine have so far been unwilling to agree to an IAEA inspection of the station and have accused each other of bombing the facility — actions the IAEA said violated “essential pillars of nuclear safety and security.” Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia on Thursday blamed Ukraine for the bombings and urged supporters of Kiev to stop the attacks and prevent a catastrophic radiation leak. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed the finger at Moscow, which he said was putting all of Europe at risk. “Only the complete withdrawal of the Russians from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the restoration of Ukraine’s full control over the situation around the plant will guarantee the restoration of nuclear safety for all of Europe,” Zelensky said. More shelling: Ukraine’s nuclear agency Energoatom said 10 shells fell near the complex on Thursday, preventing a shift handover. “For the safety of nuclear workers, the buses with the next shift’s personnel returned back to Enerhodar,” the agency said. “Until the situation is finally settled, the workers of the previous shift will continue to work.” Energoatom said radioactivity levels at the site remained normal, despite the new attacks. Read the full story here.
