VIENNA, May 3. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that on Tuesday they heard more than 100 shots near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, presumably at response to UAV flights near the station's training center, the IAEA said in a statement on Friday.
“Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency reported hearing more than 100 gunshots in the vicinity of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine on Tuesday, presumably in response to drone flights near the plant’s training center,” the report said, citing Agency Director General Raphael Grossi. 
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In addition, the IAEA added that Agency representatives are aware of reports claiming that a training base for drone operators and a site for launching drones has been deployed near the sixth power unit and training center of the Zaporizhia NPP.
“IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant did not see any evidence of drone launches or the presence of launch pads within the site perimeter. Moreover, according to five specific principles, any attacks from the territory of the plant are strictly prohibited,” – Grossi commented.
It is also noted that on Thursday the Zaporizhia NPP informed IAEA experts that Russian military personnel engaged in combat with drones near the Zaporizhia NPP training center, and that there were no destructions or casualties. IAEA experts were not able to confirm the presence of the UAV, the agency added.
ZNPP is located on the left bank of the Dnieper near the city of Energodar. This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of the number of units and installed capacity – the station has six power units with a capacity of 1 gigawatt each. In October 2022, the nuclear power plant became the property of the Russian Federation.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that no one in the West is saying that Ukrainians are shelling the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, and are stirring up excitement, blaming Russia for everything. He added that Kyiv talks about its desire to have nuclear weapons, while constantly stating that the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is being shelled by the Russian Federation: they have gone crazy, there are Russian troops at the station, the president said.
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