“The IAEA is now there on the plant and it’s not transferring. It’s going to remain there. We’re going to have a continued presence there on the plant with a few of my specialists,” IAEA director Rafael Grossi, the mission chief, declared after the group bought its first take a look at circumstances inside.

However he added: “I’ll proceed to be fearful concerning the plant till we’ve got a state of affairs which is extra secure.”

Because the specialists made their means by means of the battle zone towards the complicated, Russia and Ukraine accused one another of shelling the world and making an attempt to derail the go to. The preventing delayed the workforce’s progress.

“There have been moments when hearth was apparent — heavy machine weapons, artillery, mortars at two or 3 times had been actually very regarding, I’d say, for all of us,” Grossi mentioned.

Simply earlier than the IAEA workforce arrived, Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear energy firm, mentioned Russian mortar shelling had led to the shutdown of one in all its reactors by its emergency safety system and had broken a backup energy provide line used for in-house wants.

One of many plant’s reactors that wasn’t working was switched to diesel mills, Energoatom mentioned.

As soon as contained in the plant, Grossi mentioned, his specialists had been capable of tour all the website, together with management rooms, emergency techniques and diesel mills. He mentioned he met with the plant’s workers and residents of the close by village, Energodar, who requested him for assist from the company.

He reported that the workforce had collected vital data in its preliminary inspection and can stay there to proceed its evaluation.

“It’s apparent that the plant and the bodily integrity of the plant has been violated a number of instances by likelihood, intentionally — we don’t have the weather to evaluate that,” Grossi mentioned. “And because of this we try to place in place sure mechanisms and the presence, as I mentioned, of our folks there.”

The Zaporizhzhia plant has been occupied by Russian forces however run by Ukrainian engineers for the reason that early days of the 6-month-old battle. Ukraine alleges Russia is utilizing it as a protect to launch assaults, whereas Moscow accuses Ukraine of recklessly firing on the world.

Combating in early March prompted a short hearth at its coaching complicated, and in current days, the plant was briefly knocked offline due to injury, heightening fears of a radiation leak or a reactor meltdown. Officers have begun distributing anti-radiation iodine tablets to close by residents.

Consultants have additionally expressed concern that the Ukrainian workers is overworked and wired from the occupation of the plant by Russian forces — circumstances they are saying may result in harmful errors.

Grossi mentioned after his preliminary tour that the Ukrainian staff are “in a tough state of affairs, however they’ve an unbelievable diploma of professionalism. And I see them calm and transferring on.”

Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned Moscow expects “impartiality” from the workforce.

“We’re taking all the required measures to make sure that the plant is safe, that it capabilities safely and that the mission accomplishes all of its plans there,” he mentioned.

Forward of the go to, Russia’s Protection Ministry reported that Ukrainian forces unleashed an artillery barrage on the world and despatched a bunch of as much as 60 scouts to attempt to seize the plant on the Dnieper River. It mentioned that the Ukrainian troops arrived in seven speedboats however that Russian forces “took steps to destroy the enemy,” utilizing warplanes.

A number of the Ukrainian shells landed 400 meters (yards) from the plant’s No. 1 reactor, Russian authorities mentioned.

The Russian-installed administration in Enerhodar reported that not less than three residents had been killed early Thursday by Ukrainian shelling.

Ukrainian officers, in the meantime, accused Russian forces of shelling Enerhodar and a hall that the IAEA workforce was set to undergo.

Neither aspect’s model of occasions may instantly be independently verified.

The preventing got here as Ukraine endeavored to begin the brand new faculty 12 months in the midst of a battle. Simply over half of the nation’s faculties are reopening to in-person lessons regardless of the dangers.

In different developments, authorities with the Russian-backed separatist authorities within the japanese area of Donetsk mentioned 13 emergency responders had been killed by Ukrainian shelling in Rubtsi, a village in neighboring Kharkiv province. A lot of the preventing in current weeks and months has centered on the world.

Gatopoulos reported from Kyiv, Ukaine.

Observe the AP’s protection of the battle at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine