UN inspectors arrive at Ukraine nuclear plant after shelling causes delay

By Reuters

A team of U.N. experts arrived at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia atomic plant complex on Thursday to assess the risk of a radiation disaster after being delayed several hours by shelling near the site.

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of trying to sabotage the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the plant in southern central Ukraine, which is controlled by Russian forces but operated by Ukrainian staff.

Conditions at the nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, have been unravelling for weeks, with Moscow and Kyiv regularly trading blame for shelling in the vicinity and fuelling fears of a Chornobyl-style radiation 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 was planned”.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was doing everything to ensure that the plant could operate safely, and for the IAEA inspectors to be able to complete their tasks.

“In the event of further attempts by Kyiv to disrupt their work with shelling or sabotage, the entire responsibility for the consequences will fall entirely on the Zelensky regime and its handlers and their “support group” in the West,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, referring to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Earlier, Ukraine’s state nuclear company Energoatom said Russian shelling had forced the shutdown of one of only two operating reactors at the site, while Moscow said it had thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to seize the plant.

A Reuters reporter in the nearby Russian-controlled town of Enerhodar said a residential building was struck by shelling, forcing people to take cover in a basement. It was not possible to establish who had fired.

The Russian-installed governor of Zaporizhzhia district, Yevgeny Balitsky, said at least three people had been killed and five wounded in what he said was Ukrainian shelling of Enerhodar that had also destroyed three kindergartens and the House of Culture. Power to the town had been cut in the morning, he said.

BODY ARMOUR

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told reporters early on Thursday in the city of Zaporizhzhia, 55 km (34 miles) from the plant, he was aware of “increased military activity in the area” but would press ahead with the plan to visit the facility and meet staff.

The IAEA inspectors, wearing body armour and travelling in white, armoured land cruisers with UN markings on their sides, had been held at the first check point outside the city following the shelling reports.

Moscow accused Ukrainian forces of trying to seize the plant hours before the IAEA team was due to arrive.

Russia’s defence ministry said up to 60 Ukrainian troops had crossed the Dnipro river, which divides territory held by the two sides, in boats at 6:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), in what it said was a “provocation” aimed at disrupting the IAEA visit.

The ministry said “measures had been taken” to destroy the opposing troops, including use of military aviation.

A local Russian-installed official, Vladimir Rogov, later said “around 40” of the 60 Ukrainian troops had been killed. Russian troops also captured three Ukrainian servicemen during the assault on the plant, he added.

Ukrainian officials have welcomed the IAEA visit, expressing hope that it will lead to the demilitarisation of the plant. They say Russia has been using the plant as a shield to hit towns, knowing it will be hard for Kyiv’s forces to return fire.

They have also accused Russian forces of shelling the plant, which Russian officials deny.

Reuters journalists who followed the IAEA convoy before being ordered to turn back due to the dangerous conditions said that while they were in the city of Zaporizhzhia during the night, they had seen flashes of explosions in the sky.

They could not verify who was responsible.