Ukraine: Nuclear Reactor in Zaporizhia Shut Down Due to Russian Bombing | War in Ukraine

For weeks, Russians and Ukrainians have accused each other of bombing the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

A reactor at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has been shut down due to Russian shelling, Ukrainian atomic power plant operator Energoatom said Thursday, as an inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected at the site.

At 1:57 a.m. (UTC), following a mortar bombardment at the site of the Zaporizhia power plant, the emergency system was activated and unit number 5 was shut down, 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.

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This latest incident comes as an IAEA mission heads to the Russian-controlled plant 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 reporters ahead of the mission's departure. in the morning from the city of Zaporizhia, located 120 kilometers by road from the plant.

The Russian bombings caused a lot of damage to inside the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

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

Both belligerents have been accusing each other for weeks of endangering the security of this nuclear power plant.

In the morning, the Ukrainian authorities again accused Russia of carrying out artillery strikes on Energodar, the city where the Zaporizhia power plant is located.