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Nuclear watchdog has condemned the latest shelling of Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

Rafael Grossi said that the attack was another close call with shells exploding close to the nuclear safety and security systems at the plant.

More than a dozen blasts were heard in the last two days at the site in southeastern Ukraine.

With the Ukrainian and Russian authorities blaming each other for the attack.

Experts have warned that the reactors could overheat if a direct hit were to damage their cooling systems, we're going to go live to Kiev to speak to Petro Kati and Mr Cotton, you're the president of the Ukraine state nuclear power regulator atom.

Can you just bring us up to date with the situation with nuclear power plant?

How bad is the damage in your assessment?

Yes, good afternoon.

And uh really yesterday morning actually there were about 12 shelling shots on the territory of Ukrainian captured by Russian nuclear power plant.

The operation nuclear power plant.

And this shelling was saying just to damage equipment which is located on the territory of the plant and which is required for the startup of the unit.

First unit number four and the unit number five and the unit number six on the plant.

And actually to start up the unit, it is vital right now for the safety of the plant because because of this period of year when the reason is very close to us and the temperature is continuing going lower.

Then we need steam on the nuclear power plant.

Just to provide heat into the plant to the plants, safety systems and also to the environment and to the citizens of the nearby city of Agadir.

And so it was our intention to start up one of the unit.

And it was this attempt was blocked by the faked director from Rosatom which is nominated by Russian occupies roman enka and after that the sharing is also going in the same director.

So right directions.

And right now we do not have enough ability to start up the unit and to get this theme which is required for the safety of the nuclear power plants because the systems which are needed for that are damaged.

Just help us to understand Rafael Grossi, the un nuclear watchdog head is describing this as critical that the shelling means that Russia is playing with fire.

How close are you to potentially an accident taking place at Zaporizhia.

You know the nuclear power plant that has actually this designed to be protected against external hazards.

And these external hazards include like flooding and include any other events which can bring us to to to the nuclear disaster.

And actually it is defensive depth on the plant and one of those also, it is not actually designed for that.

But this is also external hazard of this shelling of the site and the site has actually protection but any protection can be broken.

That is what is uh Mr Gross's saying and we support human this uh evaluation of the event.

And you know, it's absolutely legal shelling on the civilian nuclear power plant.

And it is understood and it is against all covenants and all agreements international and whatever any regulatory rules.

And if we have this shelling, of course it can go to the closer to the reactor and it can damage finally the reactor and then it could be nuclear disaster or radiation coming from the Petro Cotton.

Thank you very much for just making us understand that the president of the Ukraine state nuclear power regulator bottom, thank you.