In his comments on recent Russian shelling of Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, Ukraine’ internal minister Denys Monastyrsky said Kyiv is working out different worst-case scenarios in case things go awry at the nuclear site.

It is a red flag situation which can spiral out of control as there is no its monitoring by nuclear security experts.

‘Today, in fact, the site is not only in the enemy’s hands, but rather in the hands of inexperienced specialists, who could let a tragedy happen. The remaining Ukrainian specialists are barred access to the places where they should be. It is known that there is Russia’s military equipment at the [nuclear] station territory. All this is viewed as a highest alert level [situation]/’

Monastyrsky said Ukraine’s government approached IAEA asking to step in and provide due safety monitoring at Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.

It is dreadful to imagine the scale of a possible tragedy the largest European nuclear power plant can face if Russians remain at its site with the arsenal of weapons they keep there, added the minister.

‘The latest shelling of the station made us convinced they know no any restraining factors. They are ready for any actions regardless of its effects. It means today we have to get ready for any scenarios.’

He admitted Ukraine’s internal ministry and emergency sevices’ agency are now discussing different scenarios, and  evacuation of nearby communities is one of the possible options.