President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky greeted today at Kyiv mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which arrived in Ukraine on a visit nuclear power plant her Zaporozhyewhich is under the control of Russian troops.

“We want the IAEA mission, led by Director General (Rafael) Grossi, to find a way through (…) security corridors to get to the station and do everything possible to prevent the risk” of a nuclear catastrophe, Zelensky said during the meeting. in a video released by the Ukrainian president. As he noted, this is an issue that is a priority for the security of not only Ukraine, but the whole world.

The international community must ensure the “immediate demilitarization of the (nuclear) power plant” by Russia,” Zelensky said, calling for the withdrawal of Russian soldiers and the return of the facilities “under Ukrainian control.”

Zaporozhye NPP is one of four operating in Ukraine and the largest in Europe, as it has six reactors of 1000 MW each.

Russian troops captured it in March, days after the invasion of Ukraine began. The wider area of ​​Zaporozhye has been the target of several explosions, for which both Moscow and Kyiv deny responsibility. Last week, for the first time in its history, a nuclear power plant was briefly disconnected from the power grid.

Fierce fighting was provoked by the Ukrainian counterattack

At the same time, the long-awaited counter-offensive of Ukraine on the Southern Front continues for the second day, with the aim of returning Kherson and other areas recaptured by the Russians in the first days and weeks of the invasion, to bring the conflict out of the stalemate that prevailed last time.

According to Kyiv, the Ukrainian army “broke through the positions” of the Russians, and fighting is raging in the region.

“Strong explosions occurred during the day (last Monday) and during the night in the Kherson region. “Violent conflicts rage almost throughout the region,” the Ukrainian president noted at a morning briefing.

“The Armed Forces of Ukraine launched an offensive in various directions,” the president continued, saying that “a number of ammunition depots” and “all the main bridges” through which vehicles can cross the Dnieper have been destroyed.

For its part, the Kremlin reacted to what Zelensky had previously said. The President of Ukraine stressed that Ukraine would liberate all occupied territories and called on Russian soldiers to leave the region if they wanted to survive.

Commenting on the above, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “the special operation continues and continues systematically, in full accordance with the plan. All goals will be achieved.”

Last night, Moscow said it had “repulsed” an “attack attempt” by Ukrainian forces in Kherson and Mykolaiv regions in southern Ukraine, saying it had dealt “heavy blows” against Ukrainians.

^{According to Reuters, BBC, AFP.}