UN access at Ukraine nuclear plant curbed for safety: Russia January 04, 2024 at 11:15PM

Russia confirmed blocking the UN's nuclear watchdog from accessing Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia power plant due to safety concerns. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been monitoring the plant since September 2022. Renat Karchaa of Russia's Rosatom alleged that the IAEA team tried to access the containment shells. Personnel access to the containment shells is prohibited unless justified or in emergencies. The IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, stated that experts were denied access to reactor halls where the core and spent fuel are located.