nuclear reactor in Zaporizhia shut down due to Russian strikes

A nuclear reactor at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (southern Ukraine) has been shut down due to Russian bombing, the Ukrainian operator of atomic power plants Energoatom said on Thursday. This while an IAEA inspection is expected on the site.

At 01:57 GMT, following “a mortar bombardment on the site of the Zaporizhia power plant, the emergency system was activated and unit number 5 was arrested,” Energoatom said in a statement. on Telegram.

An emergency power line was also damaged, the group said, adding that one of the six reactors of the plant, the largest in Europe, continued to operate.

Mission maintained

This latest incident comes as a mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency is heading to the plant controlled by Russian troops on Thursday.

“There were military activities, including this morning, a few minutes ago” but “we are not stopping, we are moving”, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the press before the start of this Thursday morning mission from the town of Zaporijjia, located 120 kilometers by road from the plant.

“We will immediately begin assessing the security situation at the plant,” he added.

The two belligerents have accused each other for weeks of endangering the security of this nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. In the morning, the Ukrainian authorities again accused Russia of carrying out artillery strikes on Energodar, the city where the Zaporijjia power plant is located.