UN calls for access to Ukraine nuclear plant after shelling

Separately, 12 grain-carrying ships have left Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since last week

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres yesterday called for international inspectors to be given access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over the shelling of Europe’s largest atomic complex at the weekend.

“Any attack (on) a nuclear plant is a suicidal thing,” Mr Guterres told a news conference in Japan, where he attended the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony on Saturday to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing.

Despite the shelling, the nuclear reactor complex was operating in “normal mode”, Interfax news agency quoted Mr Yevgeniy Balitsky, the Russian-installed head of the local administration, as saying yesterday.

Russian forces captured the nuclear plant, Europe’s largest atomic power complex, in early March, shortly after Moscow’s Feb 24 invasion of its neighbour. The complex is still run by Ukrainian technicians.

Ukraine blamed Russia for renewed shelling in the area of the plant last Saturday that had damaged three radiation sensors and injured a worker. It was the second reported hit on the plant in as many days.