and were holding each other responsible for the fire that broke out at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant on Sunday.
Moscow, whose forces are occupying the , said that a had hit one of the cooling towers, Russian state news agency RIA reported without providing evidence.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Kyiv had intentionally targeted the site in an attempt to sow “nuclear terror.” The incident comes days after Ukrainian forces led an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, with troops advancing towards one of its largest nuclear plants.
However, Ukrainian President said the Russians were to blame, without providing further details, nor evidence. Ukraine’s Energoatom said Russian “negligence” or arson may have been responsible.
“Currently, the radiation indicators are normal. But as long as Russian terrorists retain control over the nuclear plant, the situation is not and cannot be normal,” he said.
The fire broke out around 8 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) . Russia’s nuclear energy company Rosatom said it had been extinguished by midnight.
Energoatom said a cooling plant and other equipment had been damaged, but the reported no impact on nuclear safety at the site.
Nevertheless, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi demanded “immediate access” to the site to assess the situation and condemned “these reckless attacks [which] endanger nuclear safety at the plant and increase the risk of a nuclear accident.”
“They must stop now,” he added.
ab/nm (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)
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