Zaporizhzhia, IAEA chief arrives at the nuclear power plant

VIENNA - The head of the UN agency for atomic bombs, Rafael Grossi, has arrived in the city of Energodar and on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

According to reports from the Sputnik website, the director general of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is carrying out a working visit to the nuclear power plant, accompanied by the plant's management and technical staff. The situation in the city of Energodar (Enerhodar) remains calm. This is Grossi's second visit to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the first since 1 September last year, when it was decided that Agency experts would be permanently present at the site.

As explained by the organization, he went to the ZNPP to "personally assess the serious nuclear safety situation of the plant and underline the urgent need to protect it during the ongoing military conflict in the country".

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is located on the left bank of the Dnieper River, near the city of Energodar. It is the largest plant in Europe in terms of number of units and installed capacity - the site has six units of power of one gigawatt each. It has been under Russian military control since March.

The Ukrainian military continues to regularly shell Energodar and the area surrounding the nuclear power plant. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, Kiev is trying to create the appearance of a threat of nuclear catastrophe in this way.

The IAEA has repeatedly stated the need to create a safety zone around the facility.