Ukrainian Emergency Ministry rescuers attend an exercise in the city of Zaporizhzhia on Aug. 17. Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images
A mission from the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to visit the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station next week in an effort to stabilize the nuclear and security situation, the agency said.
Driving the news: The logistical details of the visit are being worked out, said Lana Zerkal, an adviser to Ukraine’s energy minister. Russia is trying to block the visit, she said.
- "Despite the fact that the Russians agreed for the mission to travel through the territory of Ukraine, they are now artificially creating all the conditions for the mission not to reach the facility, given the situation around it," she said, AP reports.
- Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director general of the agency, said Thursday he had "technical discussions" on its "imminent mission" to the nuclear power station.
The big picture: The plant temporarily lost its connection to the power grid earlier on Thursday amid reports of shelling overnight, per AP.
- The plant, Europe's largest nuclear station, has been occupied by the Russian military since March, but is still operated by its Ukrainian staff, Axios' Jacob Knutson reports.
- Ukrainian officials warned last week the Russia was planning a "false flag" attack on the plant. Russia lobbed the same accusation at Ukraine.
Go deeper... Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant reconnected to power grid