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The UN has demanded a safety zone around a major Ukraine nuclear plant as shelling continues.

Today (September 6), the United Nations atomic watchdog visited the site and advised the warring nations that a "nuclear safety and security protection zone" should be created around the Zaporizhzhia power plant in south eastern Ukraine.

Fears have arisen in recent weeks that ongoing attacks on the nuclear plant could trigger a catastrophe reminiscent of the 1986 disaster in Chernobyl.

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A report created following the visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said "shelling on site and in its vicinity should be stopped immediately to avoid any further damage to the plant and associated facilities.

"For the safety of the operating staff and to maintain the physical integrity to support safe and secure operation.

"This requires agreement by all relevant parties to the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone."

The power plant sits in a precarious position in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, making it a prime target for both sides to attack.

Yesterday (Sep 5) the power plant was knocked off Ukraine's electrical grid – not for the first time since the war began – meaning it had to run on its own power to run its safety systems.

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The IAEA noted that the plant has partially or completely lost its off-site power supply as a result of military activity on several occasions.

Russia accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the city where the plant is located, Enerhodar, whose mayor Dmytro Orlov said a powerful blast around midday left 53,000 people shut off from power and water supplies.

Ukrainian intelligence even reported that residents were fleeing out of fear.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed Kremlin forces attacked Nikopol, a city found just across the Dnieper River from the power station.

World leaders have called for the demilitarisation of the plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since the early days of the war but is being run by Ukrainian engineers.

In peacetime, the plant relies on outside power to run critical cooling systems for its reactors and spent fuel.

If those cooling systems are compromised, it could lead to a nuclear meltdown.

For now the plant's only remaining operational reactor will "generate the power the plant needs for its safety and other functions," while a longer-term solution is found, the IAEA said.

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