Arriving At Zaporizhia, The Head Of The UN Inspection Mission: This Is An Effort To Prevent Nuclear Accidents

PLTN Zaporizhia in Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons/Ralf1969)

JAKARTA - The UN inspector arrived on Wednesday in Zaporizhia City, southern Ukraine, on a mission to prevent radiation accidents at Russia's occupied Zopirzhia Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN).

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team reached 55 km (34 miles) from the plant, where they are likely to spend the night before arriving at the facility on Thursday.

Although Russian officials think the visit may only last one day, the IAEA hopes for longer.

"If we can build a permanent presence, or a sustainable presence, it will be extended. But this first segment will take several days," said IAEA chairman and mission leader Rafael Grossi.

"This is a mission seeking to prevent a nuclear crash," he said.

Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galuschenko said the IAEA inspection was a step towards deoccuracy and de-literization of the plant. Russia said it had no intention of withdrawing its troops at this time.

However, Russia said it welcomed the IAEA's intention to establish a permanent mission at the factory.

Asked about the demilitarized zone, Grossi said it was a political issue for countries involved in conflict.

Russia seized the nuclear plant, Europe's largest, in early March and its military power has existed since then. Meanwhile, most of Ukraine's workforce is still working hard to continue running the facility.

The fighting reportedly took place near the power plant and further on Wednesday, with Kyiv and Moscow both claiming the success of the battlefield amid a retaliatory Ukrainian strike to retake the southern region.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the report.

For weeks now, Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of endangering the safety of PLTN Zaporizhia, with artillery or drone attacks, risking radiation disasters such as Chornobyl.

Kyiv said Russia had used the generator as a shield to attack major and small cities, knowing it would be difficult for Ukraine to retaliate. They also accused Russian troops of firing the factory.

Russia itself denies Ukraine's remarks about reckless behavior, questioning why it will fire on facilities where its own forces are stationed as details of security.

Instead, Moscow accused Ukraine of firing the factory to try to cause international anger that Kyiv hoped would generate a demilitarized zone.