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href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62505815">bbc.com</a>
<h1 class="reader-title">UN alarm as Ukraine nuclear power plant
shelled again</h1>
<div class="credits reader-credits">BBC News</div>
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<div class="reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">5-6 minutes</div>
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<div data-component="image-block">
<figure>
<p><span><img alt="A Russian soldier guards near the
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Photo:
August 2022"
src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/5D4F/production/_126278832_zaporizhzhia_reu.png"
class="moz-reader-block-img" width="976"
height="549"></span><span role="text"><span
class="visually-hidden">Image source, </span>Reuters</span></p>
<figcaption><span class="visually-hidden">Image
caption, </span>
<p>Russia seized the nuclear plant in March, but
kept the station's Ukrainian personnel</p>
</figcaption></figure>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p><b>More shelling of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear
power plant has been reported, with Ukraine and
Russia again blaming each other for the attack.</b></p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>Each side said there were 10 hits on the office and
fire station of Europe's biggest power plant on
Thursday.</p>
</div>
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<p>At a meeting of the UN Security Council called to
discuss the situation, the head of its nuclear
watchdog, Rafael Grossi, warning it was a "grave
hour".</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>UN Secretary General António Guterres also said it
could "lead to disaster".</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>China and the US both called for UN experts to be
allowed to urgently visit the plant, but similar
demands in the past have so far not been acted upon.
</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>Earlier, the US also called for a demilitarised
zone to be established around the plant: "Fighting
near a nuclear plant is dangerous and
irresponsible," a state department spokesperson
said.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>However, Russia's UN representative said
demilitarisation was not an option, suggesting that
it would make the plant more vulnerable to
"provocations" and "terror attacks". </p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>The facility and its surrounding area in
central-eastern Ukraine saw shelling last week, with
Russia and Ukraine also accusing each other over
that attack.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>Ukraine says Russia has turned the site into a
military base, launching attacks from there knowing
that Ukrainian forces are unlikely to retaliate.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>In a statement on Thursday, Ukraine's nuclear
agency Enerhoatom said that "Russian invaders again
shelled the Zaporizhzhia plant and territories near
the nuclear facility".</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>It said an administrative office near the welding
area was hit and several radiation sensors were
damaged. There was a small fire on some nearby
grass, but no injuries. </p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>Enerhoatom added that the fire station located near
the plant was also targeted. </p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>Because of the shelling, it was impossible to
change the personnel after their shift, so they had
to continue work overtime.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>But the situation was currently under control,
Enerhoatom said.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="video-block">
<figure><figcaption><span class="visually-hidden">Media
caption, </span>
<p>Watch: Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant appears on
fire after shelling (3 March 22)</p>
</figcaption></figure>
</div>
<h2 tabindex="-1"
id="Zaporizhzhia-How-the-crisis-unfolded"><span
role="text">Zaporizhzhia: How the crisis unfolded</span></h2>
<div data-component="unordered-list-block">
<ul role="list">
<li><b>March 2022:</b> Shortly after the start of
their invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops seize
the plant. Its management is told that the complex
now belongs to Russian state nuclear power company
Rosatom. Ukrainian staff continue to operate the
plant under Russian control</li>
<li><b>July:</b> Russian forces reportedly deploy
rocket launchers in the complex, turning it into a
military base</li>
<li><b>3 August:</b> The International Atomic Energy
Agency says the plant is "completely out of
control" and needs an inspection and repairs</li>
<li><b>5 August: </b>Ukraine's nuclear agency,
Enerhoatom, says two rounds of Russian rocket fire
prompted its operators to disconnect a reactor
from the power grid</li>
<li><b>8 August:</b> Ukraine says renewed Russian
shelling has damaged three radiation sensors and
injured a worker. Local Russian-backed authorities
say Ukrainian forces hit the site with multiple
rocket launchers</li>
<li><b>10 August:</b> Foreign ministers from the G7
group of nations say Russia must immediately hand
back control of the plant to Ukraine</li>
<li><b>11 August:</b> More shelling of the plant is
reported, with Ukraine and Russia again blaming
each other </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>The Russian-installed officials issued a mirroring
statement, accusing Ukraine of carrying out the
shelling.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>They said Ukrainian forces were using
multiple-launch rocket systems and heavy artillery.
The claims by each of the side have not been
independently verified. </p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>Speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council in
New York City on Thursday, Mr Grossi again called
for his International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to
be allowed in to inspect the plant.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>"This is a serious hour, a grave hour and the IAEA
must be allowed to conduct its mission to
Zaporizhzhia as soon as possible," he said.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Guterres earlier
warned: "Urgent agreement is needed at a technical
level on a safe perimeter of demilitarisation to
ensure the safety of the area".</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>In his nightly address, Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky warned that "only the complete
withdrawal of Russians from Zaporizhzhia guarantees
the restoration of nuclear safety for the whole of
Europe".</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>The Zaporizhzhia plant is in the city of Enerhodar,
in the south-east of Ukraine along the left bank of
the River Dnieper (Dnipro in Ukrainian).</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>It consists of six pressurised water reactors and
stores radioactive waste.</p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>After seizing the complex, Russia kept its
Ukrainian employees. </p>
</div>
<div data-component="text-block">
<p>So far, UN nuclear watchdog officials have been
unable to inspect the plant.</p>
</div>
<section data-component="links-block">
<h2>More on this story</h2>
</section>
</article>
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