The head of Ukraine’s state nuclear energy company Energoatom said the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should “make maximum efforts” to stop what he called Russia’s “nuclear terrorism”.

Energoatom said on the Telegram messaging app that its president, Petro Kotin, told an online meeting of WANO’s board of governors that constant shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station by Russian troops and the resulting destruction of the station’s infrastructure has led to “the most serious emergency in the entire history of the station”.

He said Russia is trying to legalise its presence at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by declaring it its property. “Any attempts by Russia to take control of the station are illegal and the plant itself is Ukrainian and remains in the energy system of Ukraine, while Energoatom is its only legal operator,” Mr Kotin said, according to Energoatom.