Ukraine war: Nuclear safety, Putin in Kaliningrad, and Russian tourist visas
A UN inspection team arrived at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant Thursday on a mission to safeguard it against catastrophe, reaching the site amid fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces that prompted the shutdown of one reactor and underscored the urgency of the task.
The visit from the 14-member expert delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency came after months of negotiations to pass through the front lines and get inside Europe's biggest nuclear plant. Arriving in a convoy of SUVs and vans, the inspectors were led by IAEA director Rafael Grossi.
Later in the day, Grossi reported that the group had collected important information on its first tour at the plant and would continue its assessment.
"My team is staying on, and more importantly ... we are establishing a continued presence by the IAEA here,'' he said in a video on Twitter, the plant visible behind him.
As the experts made their way through the war zone toward the complex, Russia and Ukraine accused each other of shelling the area and trying to derail the visit. The heavy shelling delayed the team's progress toward the plant.
Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear power company, said Russian mortar shelling had led to the shutdown of one of its reactors by its emergency protection system and had damaged a backup power supply line used for in-house needs. One of the plant’s reactors that wasn’t operating was switched to diesel generators, Energoatom said.
“There has been increased military activity, including this morning until very recently," Grossi said during the journey, adding that after being briefed by the Ukrainian military he decided to keep moving despite the risks. "Weighing the pros and cons and having come so far, we are not
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