The head of the UN"s nuclear watchdog has told the BBC he expects to personally lead a mission to the occupied Zaporizhzhia power plant “within days, not weeks”, writes BBC.

Rafael Grossi didn’t specify whether inspectors would travel through Ukrainian or Russian-controlled territory, saying territorial aspects need to be “set aside” because of the urgency of the situation.

Grossi said his team wanted to inspect the plant’s integrity and whether it has been compromised, whether safety systems are still operational and the status of the power supply to the plant.

His inspectors will also seek to speak to both Ukrainian and Russian staff at the site, and to establish a permanent presence at the plant.

It comes after Russian leader Vladimir Putin said last week that he was willing to grant International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to the site.

The site, Europe’s largest, has been under Russian control since March and has come under heavy shelling, with both Kyiv and Moscow accusing the other of attacks.