UN team visits nuclear plant in Ukraine after being held up by fighting

• IAEA inspectors to conduct “critical nuclear safety, security, and safeguards activities” in Ukraine’s occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
• Russian officials blamed Kyiv for the escalation of violence around the site.
• Despite renewed reports of fighting, the head of the mission vowed to press on.

A team of United Nations inspectors arrived at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant on Thursday, despite renewed shelling that raised fears of a radiation disaster.

Ukraine and Russia traded new accusations that the other was attempting to derail the mission by endangering the UN team as well as the plant’s nuclear reactors. Despite the fighting, the International Atomic Energy Agency experts persisted.

Early Thursday, Kyiv accused Moscow of shelling the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant — and the route IAEA inspectors were taking on a perilous mission to ensure its safety.

Russian officials blamed Kyiv for the escalation of violence around the site. According to the defense ministry, Ukrainian troops attempted a daring amphibious landing in an attempt to retake control of the plant.

In a tweet, the IAEA confirmed the mission’s arrival at the plant, adding that it was there to conduct “critical nuclear safety, security, and safeguards activities.”

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The mission had been delayed for about three hours on the Ukrainian-controlled side, according to the nuclear agency. Despite renewed reports of fighting, the head of the United Nations mission vowed to press on.

According to Reuters, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that the team was aware of “increased military activity in the area,” but that it would still visit the facility and meet with its staff.

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“We’ve come this far, and we’re not stopping,” he was quoted as saying.

The inspectors arrived in Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday after visiting the capital, Kyiv, earlier in the week.

Grossi stated that the inspectors would spend “several days” at the power plant before reporting back to an increasingly concerned international community, though Russian officials have indicated that the team may only have one day to inspect the plant.

The shelling of the plant itself triggered its safety systems, forcing the shutdown of one of its reactors and damaging power supply lines, both sides said early Thursday.

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