“Today the last power transmission line connecting the plant to Ukraine’s energy system was damaged due to yet another Russian provocative shelling. Again — this is the second time — because of Russian provocation, the Zaporizhia plant is one step away from a radioactive disaster,” Zelensky said during a presidential speech. “I consider the fact that Russia is doing this now, right on the eve of the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] conclusions, very eloquent. Bombardment of ZNPP territory [Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant] it means that the terrorist state doesn’t care what the IAEA says, it doesn’t care what the international community decides. Russia is only interested in keeping the situation at its worst for as long as possible,” he continued. The Ukrainian president urged the international community to recognize Moscow as a terrorist state and strengthen sanctions against it. How critical US sectors deal with rising cyberattacks Canadian police charge stabbing suspects with murder as manhunt continues The IAEA issued a separate update on Monday saying that Ukraine was reaching out to the agency to inform the IAEA that a backup power line, partially connected to the ZNPP, had to be disconnected in order to deal with a fire, but there were no compensations. The developments come as two IAEA experts are set to remain on site to monitor the nuclear plant as the Russian military bombed the Zaporizhzhia plant last month, raising fears of a possible nuclear incident. “Director-General [Raphael Mariano] Grossi will on Tuesday issue a report on the state of nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine – including findings from the mission to the ZNPP – and later in the day will brief the UN Security Council on the mission to factory,” the IAEA said in its briefing.
