An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission is heading to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) despite clashes between Ukrainians and Russians there.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that there is increased military activity in the Energondar region, where the station is located, but the mission does not stop.

The purpose of the mission is to prevent a nuclear accident due to the continuous bombardment, in which one side blames the other.

Grossi said the mission is aware of “increased military activity in the area” but is continuing with the plan to visit the site and meet with staff.

“Military activity has increased in the region. But having come this far, we are not stopping,” Mr. Grossi said.

According to the information, the purpose of the mission is for IAEA officials to remain at the nuclear plant for a certain period of time to ensure that it remains intact, and the permanent deployment of an international organization team to Energondar is also being considered.

Russian troops are shelling the route of an IAEA mission designed to give them access to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, head of the Zaporizhia region Oleksandr Starukh said on Thursday.

“The Russians are bombing the pre-agreed route of the IAEA mission from Zaporozhye to the nuclear power plant. The UN advance team cannot continue moving for security reasons,” Starukh wrote on the messaging app Telegram.

Moscow’s goal is to block the visit of a mission of an international organization to the plant, said a close associate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Reactor shutdown

The Ukrainian company Energoatom, which runs a nuclear power plant in the Russian-held region, said on Thursday morning that the Unit 5 had suspended operations due to Russian shelling.

This morning, the management of the Russian nuclear power plant reported that the electricity and water supply were cut off at Energondar, which is vital to preventing an accident.

Ukrainian special forces

For its part, the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow said on Thursday that the Ukrainians had fired four rounds up to 400 meters from Energondar and that Ukrainian special forces tried to seize the plant in the early hours but were beaten back.

Up to 60 Ukrainian troops crossed the Dnieper River, which shares territory held by the two sides, in boats at 6 a.m., the ministry said in a statement. He called the operation a “provocation” aimed at disrupting the planned visit of IAEA inspectors to the nuclear power plant.

The ministry said that “measures were taken” to repulse enemy troops, including with the use of military aircraft. According to Moscow, Ukrainian special forces used two self-propelled barges, as well as three drones, which were shot down.

The Russian agency Interfax spoke specifically about the crash of Ukrainian special forces with the assistance of military helicopters.

Source: Reuters, TASS