UN chief calls for demilitarised zone at Ukraine nuclear plant

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed a demilitarised zone at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear complex, amid fears of a catastrophe.

Guterres called on both sides to halt all fighting near the plant.

“The facility must not be used as part of any military operation. Instead, urgent agreement is needed at a technical level on a safe perimeter of demilitarisation to ensure the safety of the area,” Guterres said in a statement, Al Jazeera reports.

Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement that the Ukrainian shelling had partly damaged a thermal power plant and splash pools that form part of the reactors’ cooling systems.