Ukraine and Russia have traded accusations over the shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear plant
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for international inspectors to be given access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over shelling of Europe’s largest atomic complex at the weekend.
Ukraine blamed Russia for renewed shelling in the area of the plant on Saturday that had damaged three radiation sensors and injured a worker. It was the second reported hit on the plant in as many days, following damage to a power line. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned on Saturday that the latest attack “underlines the very real risk of a nuclear disaster.”Elsewhere, a deal to unblock Ukraine’s food exports and ease global shortages gathered pace as two grain ships sailed out of Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Monday, raising the total to 12 since the first vessel left a week ago.
Before Moscow’s invasion, Russia and Ukraine together accounted for nearly a third of global wheat exports. The disruption since then has raised the spectre of famine in parts of the world.