The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday called for the creation of a “safety zone” around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
The IAEA report described the violation of safety principles at the plant, Europe’s largest, CNN reported.
The atomic agency said that it continued to be “gravely concerned” about the situation at the site, and added that there was an “urgent need” for the protective zone to stop the possibility of a nuclear catastrophe.
IAEA head Rafael Grossi said in a statement after visiting the plant that a nuclear safety and protection zone at the Russian-occupied nuclear reactor was necessary.
“The IAEA is still gravely concerned about the situation at the ZNPP – this hasn’t changed,” the report said. “The Seven Pillars have all been compromised at the site.”
The IAEA said the situation was urgent and action was needed to "to prevent a nuclear accident arising from physical damage caused by military means."
The agency urged the creation of a "nuclear safety and security protection zone” around the plant.
“The IAEA is ready to start immediately the consultations leading to the urgent establishment of such a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the ZNPP,” they said.
The report added that IAEA team that visited the site “noted with concern that the shelling could have impacted safety related structures, systems and components, and could have caused safety significant impacts, loss of lives and personnel injuries.”
IAEA inspectors revealed last week that upon visiting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on Thursday, they discovered that its physical integrity had been “violated.