VIENNA. Aug 12 (Interfax) - Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer called for de-escalation and further dialogue on the Ukraine conflict in the wake of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant incident.
"Today's incident at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant underlines the important role of the IAEA and the need to continue the dialogue that began at the Burgenstock peace summit. De-escalation and talks are needed!" Nehammer said on a social network.
"Attacks on nuclear infrastructure are extremely dangerous and escalate the situation," he said.
Russia's Rosatom press service said on Monday that Emergency Situations Ministry personnel put out a fire at one of the two cooling towers of the Zaporozhye NPP caused by a Ukrainian drone strike.
"In order to ascertain the extent and possible cause of this event, the IAEA support and assistance mission to Zaporozhye is requesting immediate access to the cooling tower to assess the damage," the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
"These reckless attacks endanger nuclear safety at the plant and increase the risk of a nuclear accident. They must stop now," the statement quoted IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi as saying.