Rounds of "unusual" small arms fire were heard near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Saturday, which potentially threatens nuclear safety and security, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Sunday.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement that the IAEA team at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant reported hearing hundreds of rounds of small arms fire, which were repeatedly fired for about an hour from 20:00 local time on Saturday.
Grossi said that such military activity at or near a major nuclear power plant is clearly "unacceptable". He also expressed serious concern over the significant increase in the use of drones near the nuclear power plant since the beginning of this year, saying that such weapons pose a "clear risk" to nuclear safety and security.
According to the statement, the team inspected the site early Sunday morning and saw small-caliber casings scattered on the ground near reactor units 5 and 6. The team found no signs of broken windows or other physical damage and is currently gathering more information about the incident.
IAEA reports "unusual" arms fire near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.
In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.
Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.
The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.
Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.
Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.
He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.
He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.
Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation
