Workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant have not been able to leave for nearly two weeks since the Russian invasion, it emerged today.
Officials in Ukraine are increasingly worried about safety as staff have been forced to live at the facility since troops took over the site on February 24 - with their situation said to be "worsening".
During that time 210 technical personnel and guards have been unable to leave, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement.
Regulators are only able to communicate with those inside by email, authorities said.
The UN's nuclear watchdog said systems monitoring nuclear material at the radioactive waste facilities have stopped transmitting data.
The plant was the scene of the worst nuclear incident in history 35 years ago, and the Russian invasion 13 days ago sparked fears of a fresh disaster.
In a statement the IAEA said workers are "in effect living there".
It said: "The Ukrainian regulator added that the staff had access to food and water, and medicine to a limited extent.
"However, the situation for the staff was worsening. It asked the IAEA to lead the international support needed to prepare a plan for replacing the current personnel and for providing the facility with an effective rotation system."
Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned this could be dangerous.
He said: “I’m deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation facing staff at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and the potential risks this entails for nuclear safety.
"I call on the forces in effective control of the site to urgently facilitate the safe rotation of personnel there."
The handling of nuclear matter at the site - which includes decommissioned reactors and radioactive waste facilities - has been put on hold.
The regulator said eight of the country’s 15 reactors were operating, including two at the Zaporizhzhya NPP controlled since last week by Russian forces, and that the plants’ personnel were working in shifts.
Radiation levels at the sites were normal, it said.
