During the Aug. 23 meeting, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo called on Russia and Ukraine to agree to demilitarize the Zaporizhzhia plant, as well as allow the international atomic energy agency’s (IAEA) delegation immediate access to the facility.
Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the plant, raising the risk of a nuclear disaster.
Ambassador Nebenzya warned that “the nuclear safety situation is deteriorating” since the Security Council discussed the issue nearly two weeks ago.
Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya rejected Russia’s accusations, saying it was responsible for the risks and had to withdraw troops from the Zaporizhzhia plant.
Kyslytsya also said Ukraine supported the proposal for the IAEA to send a delegation to inspect the plant.
Russia accused Ukraine of twice shelling the Zaporizhzhia plant in the past 24 hours, claiming to have responded to and destroyed an enemy M777 howitzer.
