Shelling of nuclear plant nearly ended in disaster, says UN

UKRAINE narrowly escaped disaster after artillery shells damaged a radioactive waste storage building at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the UN nuclear watchdog said.

It was not clear which side was responsible for the explosions at the power station, which has been under Russian control since soon after it invaded Ukraine on Feb 24.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said whoever fired on the plant was taking “huge risks and gambling with many people’s lives”.

Speaking on Sunday, Mr Grossi described the situation as a “close call”, adding: “We were fortunate a potentially serious nuclear incident did not happen. Next time, we may not be so lucky.”

Repeated shelling of the plant during the war has raised concerns about a repeat of the world’s worst nuclear accident, the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown.

Radiation levels remained normal and there were no reports of casualties, the IAEA said. Mr Grossi said while there was no direct impact on nuclear safety and security systems, “the shelling came dangerously close to them”.

Rosenergoatom, the Russian nuclear power operator, placed curbs on what the IAEA team could inspect.