Attack On Ukraine Nuke Plant Prompts UN Call For Demilitarised Zone

Russia and Ukraine have traded blame over the shelling of Europe's biggest nuclear power plant, compounding fears of a disaster.

This prompts the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to say it should be made a demilitarized zone and Ukraine demanded that Russian forces withdraw from it.

The Daily Sabah on Friday reports Ukraine's Energoatom agency saying the Zaporizhzhia complex in south-central Ukraine was struck five times on Thursday, including near where radioactive materials are stored.

Russian-appointed officials said Ukraine shelled the plant twice, disrupting a shift changeover.

The U.N. Secretary-General Guterres called on both sides to stop all fighting near the plant.

"The facility must not be used as part of any military operation. Instead, an urgent agreement is needed at a technical level on a safe perimeter of demilitarization to ensure the safety of the area."

The United States backed the call for a demilitarized zone and urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit the site.

Also, France echoed Zelenskyy's demand and said Russia's occupation of the site endangered the world.