UN nuclear experts at Zaporizhzhia being ‘manipulated’ by Russia, claims Ukraine

Ukraine has claimed that UN experts inspecting Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhzhia, which is in Russian-held territory, are being fed misinformation by Moscow.

Ukrainian state-owned operator Energoatom said Russian officials were “making every effort to prevent the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission from getting to know the real state of affairs”.

It added: “They spread manipulative and false information about this visit.”

In response, Russia’s defence ministry accused Kyiv of “nuclear terrorism”.

Previously, the UN has warned the site has the potential to become a nuclear “catastrophe”.

The team of inspectors from the IAEA crossed the frontlines to reach the Zaporizhzhia plant on Thursday. Fighting prompted the shutdown of one reactor, underscoring the urgency of their task.

The 14-member delegation arrived in a convoy of SUVs and vans after months of negotiations to enable the experts to pass through the front lines.

Speaking to reporters after leaving colleagues inside, IAEA director Rafael Grossi, said the agency was “not moving” from the plant from now on, and vowed a “continued presence” of agency experts.

Grossi said it was “obvious that the plant and the physical integrity of the plant has been violated several times” — but couldn’t assess whether by chance or on purpose.

“I will continue to be worried about the plant until we have a situation which is more stable,” he said.

IAEA experts toured the entire site, including control rooms, emergency systems and diesel generators, and met with the plant’s staff.

The plant has been occupied by Russian forces but run by Ukrainian engineers since the early days of the 6-month war. Ukraine alleges Russia is using the plant as a shield to launch attacks.

But Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu rejected the Ukrainian allegations and said Russia has no heavy weapons either on the site or in nearby areas.

Shoigu said Ukrainian forces have fired 120 artillery shells and used 16 suicide drones to hit the plant, “raising a real threat of a nuclear catastrophe in Europe”.

Continued shelling close to the plant was reported on Friday.

(With agencies)