Zaporizhia: The inspectors reached the nuclear facilities through shelling

A team of UN experts arrived today at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant complex Zaporizhia in order to assess the risk of a radioactive leak after being delayed for several hours by shelling near the site of the facilities.

Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of trying to undermine the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) mission at the station in south-central Ukraine, which is under the control of Russian forces but operated by its Ukrainian staff.

The conditions at the nuclear plant, its largest Europehave been worsening in recent weeks with Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of bombing the region and sparking fears of a Chernobyl-style nuclear disaster.

A Reuters reporter saw the IAEA team arrive in a large convoy with a heavy presence of Russian soldiers nearby. A Ukrainian source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters the mission “may turn out to be shorter than planned.”

Earlier, the Ukrainian State Atomic Energy Corporation Energoatom said Russian shelling had shut down one of the plant’s only two operating reactors, while Moscow said it had thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to seize the plant.

Reuters reporter in the nearby Russian-controlled city Enerhodar said a residential building was hit by the shelling, forcing residents to seek shelter in a basement. It was not possible to determine who was responsible for the shooting.

The Russian-appointed governor of the Zaporizhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, said at least three people were killed and five wounded in what he said was Ukrainian shelling of Enerhodar that also destroyed three kindergartens and the House of Culture. There was a power outage in the city in the morning, he said.

The IAEA inspectors, wearing body armor and traveling in white, armored jeeps with UN insignia, were stopped at the first checkpoint outside Zaporizhia after reports of shelling.

Moscow accused Kyiv of trying to seize the station hours before the IAEA team was expected to arrive.

The Russian Defense Ministry said up to 60 Ukrainian soldiers crossed the Dnieper River, which separates territory held by the two sides, in boats at 6:00 a.m. local time (and Greek time), in a “provocation”, as he described it, with the aim of disrupting the IAEA visit.

The ministry said “measures were taken” to neutralize opposing troops, including the use of military aircraft.

A local official appointed by the Russians, Vladimir Rogov, later said that “about 40” of the 60 Ukrainian soldiers were killed. Russian soldiers they also captured three Ukrainian soldiers during the attack on the station, he added.

Reuters reporters who followed the convoy before being ordered to turn back because of dangerous conditions said that while in the city of Zaporizhia overnight, they saw flashes of explosions in the sky.

They could not verify who was responsible.

Officials appointed by the Russians have hinted that the IAEA team would have only one day to inspect the plant, while the mission had been prepared for longer.

“If we can establish a permanent or continuous presence, then it will be extended. But this first part will take a few days,” said the head of the organization, Rafael Grossi.

Slow progress

Both sides have claimed battlefield successes amid a Ukrainian offensive to retake territory in the south.

“It’s a very slow process because we value people,” said Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Zelensky, referring to the Ukrainian attack.

Moscow denied reports of a Ukrainian advance and said its troops had driven out Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine’s southern military command said it would not for the time being report the settlements in the south it recaptured to prevent Russian strikes against them.

It also said that its counterattack does not affect the corridor to the Black Sea that has been created for the export of Ukrainian grain.

RES-EMP

Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.