Talks underway to create safe zone around ZNPP: IAEA

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Rafael Grossi said Sunday that he was negotiating a safe zone around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.

This comes after President Vladimir Putin warned his French counterpart during a phone call over the potential "catastrophic consequences" of Ukrainian attacks on the ZNPP in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine.      

The situation at ZNPP remained "precarious" after the shelling damaged the nuclear site’s vital infrastructure, Grossi said.

The plant’s last operating power unit was shut down on Saturday after the external power supply was restored.

Read: Kiev cuts own power from ZNPP, IAEA asks for cease of shelling

"I remain gravely concerned about the situation at the plant, which remains in danger as long as any shelling continues. To address this serious situation, consultations have begun on the urgent need to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant," he said.

Energodar and the Zaporozhye plant have been under Russian control since early March and had operated without interruption until July when drone and artillery assaults began. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, 29 strikes on the Zaporozhye complex have taken place since July 18, including 120 artillery shells and 16 kamikaze drones.

IAEA arrived on September 1 at the ZNPP to carry out basic measures to ensure physical and nuclear security and safeguards at the facility. 

A team of 14 inspectors from IAEA headed to Zaporozhye as global concern grew over its safety in a war raging ever-closer to its six reactors.

The next day, Ukraine said it had bombed a Russian base in the town of Energodar, near the ZNPP which was being assessed by United Nations inspectors due to safety concerns.

The site had been damaged by the fighting in Ukraine, as per Grossi.

The shelling caused a blackout, compromising the safe operation of Europe's largest plant, the IAEA said Friday.

On September 7, the IAEA issued a report in light of the recent attacks launched by Kiev's forces on the ZNPP, in which it called for the immediate establishment of a protective zone at its premises and vicinities.

Russia regretted that the IAEA did not name the source of the shelling at the ZNPP, Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said on Tuesday. 

Grossi urged for an urgent cessation of shelling at the ZNPP due to a critical situation in the facility's power supply on Friday.

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, 29 strikes on the Zaporozhye complex have taken place since July 18, including 120 artillery shells and 16 kamikaze drones.