Kyiv: Russia is using Europe's largest nuclear power plant as a base to store weapons, including "missile systems" and shelling areas around Ukraine, according to an official from Ukraine's nuclear agency. 
The Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, located on the Dnipro River in southeastern Ukraine, has been under Russian control since the early weeks of the Moscow invasion, although it is still operated by Ukrainian personnel.

In a televised interview on Friday the chairman of Ukraine's nuclear agency Energoatom said the situation was "extremely tense" with more than 500 Russian troops controlling the plant. "The occupiers bring their machinery there including missile systems from which they are already shelling the other side of the Dnipro River and the area of ​​Nikopol.

They have physical control over the periphery. The occupants' heavy machinery and trucks carrying weapons and explosives remained on the territory of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.

before launching an attack on the International Atomic Energy Agency.The pressure on the occupants to leave the area of ​​the plant is insufficient (IAEA) is playing a political game balancing Russia and Ukraine. The IAEA has said that it needs to visit the plant to do the necessary maintenance.

Kyiv has objected to such a visit, with Energoatom claiming that the IAEA's visit would only legitimize the plant's occupation by "nuclear terrorists".

According to a statement, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reiterated the "importance of being able to visit (Zaporizzia Nuclear Power Plant) to conduct the activities of the "necessary safety, security and safeguards."

They reiterated their growing concern about the "severe and challenging working conditions at ZNPP and the impact of such conditions on the safety and security of the plant."
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, the agency has been unable to visit the plant.

The Zaporizhzhia region, where the plant is located, is largely under Russian control, and Moscow-backed separatists announced Thursday that a referendum on joining Russia would be held this year.

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