It responded to reports of strikes at the plant on Friday, with Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of hitting at least one of the plant’s power lines, prompting its operators to shut down a reactor even though no radioactive leak was detected. “I am extremely concerned by yesterday’s bombing of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which highlights the very real risk of a nuclear disaster that could threaten public health and the environment in Ukraine and beyond,” Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General . , said in a statement. Mr Grossi, who heads the United Nations nuclear watchdog, urged all sides in the conflict in Ukraine to show the “utmost restraint” around the plant. The factory was seized by Russian forces in early March in the opening stages of the war, but is still operated by its Ukrainian technicians under management installed by Moscow. Ukraine’s state nuclear company Energoatom blamed Russia for the damage to the power plant. The Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of bombing the plant, saying the radioactive leak had been avoided only by luck.
