The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency Rafael Grossi said that the rotation of its inspectors scheduled for yesterday at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine had been canceled due to intense military activity in the area, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) did not specify whose fault it was for the cancellation of the rotation, but said that his agency's employees should not find themselves in such a situation.
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of canceling the rotation.
"The planned rotation of the IAEA group (inspectors) stationed in Zaporozhye NPP was canceled as a result of the intense military activity in the area. Despite written assurances from both sides that the rotation could proceed safely, the situation proved too dangerous for the team to continue its work, and the mission was canceled," Grossi said in a statement quoted by TASS.
"I deeply regret today's cancellation of the carefully prepared and coordinated rotation of our personnel, who are carrying out vital work under very difficult circumstances to help prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict," Grossi said in a statement posted on the IAEA website. "It is completely unacceptable that the safety of our employees is endangered in this way," he added.
Grossi said he would consult with both sides to ensure that the agency's monitors can carry out their mission and maintain nuclear safety.
Russia has accused Kiev of carrying out provocations to hinder the rotation.
The Russian-appointed governor of the region, Yevgeny Balitsky, accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone attack on Energodar, the closest town to the plant, where many of its employees live. Balitsky said debris from the drone fell 300 meters from one of the plant's reactors.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgy Tykhy said Russia had deliberately violated the rotation, a tactic he said had been used before. "(Russia) gives vague signals about its alleged readiness to guarantee safe passage, but an hour before the rotation begins, it opens fire or begins military action in the area," he said.
Russia seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - the largest plant in Europe, with six reactors - in the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, each side has regularly accused the other of organizing attacks around the plant and creating the risk of a nuclear accident.
The IAEA has had its observers at the plant since September 2022 and maintains a presence at all of Ukraine's nuclear facilities, Reuters recalls.
The Odessa region has been attacked with drones, local Telegram channels reported, dariknews.bg reported.
The sirens were activated at 9:14 p.m. About ten drones are moving from the Black Sea towards Chernomorsk, Zatoka, Tuzli, Snake Island, local channels in Telegram also inform. There is danger for Izmailsky district.
All residents of Odessa and Odessa region are urged to take shelter in bomb shelters until the alarm is lifted, local authorities are calling.
The Bulgarians in Odessa region number over 150,000 people and are the third largest according to the official census in Ukraine in 2001. About 50-60 thousand Bulgarians live in the city of Odessa itself. The largest compact Bulgarian population is concentrated in the Bolgrad, Izmail and Belgorod-Dniester regions.
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine imposed sanctions on him and accused current President Volodymyr Zelensky of undermining national unity, Reuters reported, quoted by dariknews.bg.
„The National Security and Defense Council adopted an unconstitutional, politically motivated decision– to impose sanctions against me, Petro Poroshenko as the leader of the opposition and the fifth president of Ukraine“, Poroshenko said in a statement.
Zelensky, who defeated Poroshenko in the 2019 election, said in his evening video address that decisions had been approved at a session of the Council and warned that anyone who threatens national security will be held accountable. He did not mention Poroshenko by name.