Had Postponed Because Of The Shooting, The IAEA Inspection Mission Arriving At PLTN Zaporizhia

JAKARTA - A team of UN experts arrived at the Ukraine's Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN) complex on Thursday to assess the risk of a radiation disaster after being delayed by several hours due to the shooting near the site.

Russia and Ukraine previously accused each other of trying to sabotage the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to Europe's largest PLTN, which is controlled by Russian forces but operated by Ukrainian staff.

A Reuters reporter saw the IAEA team arrive in a large convoy with many Russian troops nearby. A Ukrainian source familiar with the situation told Reuters the mission was "probably shorter than planned".

Earlier, a shooting near the Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN) complex, forced an hour-long delay in UN expert inspections on Thursday, although mission leaders were determined to continue to carry out inspections with safety pay attention.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told reporters Thursday morning in Zaporizhia City, 55 km (34 miles) from the plant, he was aware of the "increasing military activity in the area" but would continue plans to visit facilities and meet staff.

"So far, we haven't stopped," said Grossi, who leads the mission.

IAEA inspectors, wearing body shields and traveling in white armored SUVs with UN marks on their sides, have been stuck at their first checkpoint out of town following reports of shootings.

Conditions at nuclear plants, Europe's largest, have decomposed for weeks, with Moscow and Kyiv blaming each other for the surrounding shootings, sparking fears of the Chornobyl-style radiation catastrophe.

Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was doing everything to ensure that factories could operate safely, and that IAEA inspectors could complete their duties.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials welcomed the IAEA visit, expressing hope that it would lead to the demilitarization of the plant.