Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warned that the situation in Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine “is completely out of control” and called on Moscow and Kyiv to allow experts to access and inspect the site in a bid to avoid a potential catastrophe. According to IAEA, the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in the city of Enerhodar needs an inspection and repairs, Associated Press reported. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia of using the plant as a military base to launch attacks on Ukrainian forces. A Russian-installed official told Reuters news agency that Ukrainian forces were using western-supplied weapons to attack the plant.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces are likely using Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Enerhodar to play on Western fears of a nuclear disaster in Ukraine, likely in an effort to degrade Western will to provide military support to Ukrainian counteroffensive. Russian forces based around the NPP have attacked Ukrainian positions in Nikopol and elsewhere in recent weeks, intentionally putting Ukraine in a difficult position- either Ukraine returns fire, risking international condemnation and a nuclear accident, or Ukrainian forces allow Russian forces to continue firing on Ukrainian positions from an effective “safe zone”. Moscow hopes that a potential nuclear catastrophe will force the West to suspend military aid for Ukraine. Nikopol Mayor Evgeny Yevtushenko wrote in Telegram that his city came under shelling during the night.