Russia has accused Ukraine of "nuclear terrorism" after blaming Kyiv for shelling at Europe's biggest power plant.
The Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, warned that Ukraine risked a Chernobyl-style catastrophe by using Western-supplied weapons to attack the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Ukraine and Russia have traded blame over shelling at Zaporizhzhia in recent months. Reports from independent organisations have been unable to verify either side's claims.
The plant is located in southern Ukraine and has been under Russian control since March, with Shoigu denying claims that Russia had deployed heavy weapons there.
The plant is still run by Ukrainian staff and Russia has rejected calls for it to withdraw its troops.
In comments published by the defence ministry, Shoigu said: "We do not have heavy weapons on the territory of the nuclear power plant or in the surrounding areas.
"I hope the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission will be convinced of this."
Ukraine has previously accused Russia of shelling from guns placed next to the nuclear reactors, as well as using them as a hostage to shield them from counter battery fire.
But Shoigu has denied this, instead saying Ukraine had fired 120 artillery shells and launched 16 'kamikaze' drone attacks over the last six weeks.
Shoigu, who also accused both the United States and European Union of "encouraging such reckless actions", added: "This is nothing short of nuclear terrorism."
Yesterday, a UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission arrived at the plant to inspect operations and assess any damage, with Russian officials saying earlier in the week that radiation levels at the facility are normal.
Russia's ambassador to the international institutions in Vienna said today that two IAEA officials will stay at the plant on a permanent basis, and the UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said his team had completed their first tour of the key areas but remained tight-lipped on the findings.
After shelling in the area today, a reactor at the Zaporizhzhia plant was shut down. Grossi will hold a press conference this evening.
"We know there is a grey area where the last line of Ukrainian defence and the first line of the Russian occupying forces begins, where the risks are significant," said Grossi.
"I believe we have to proceed with this. We have a very important mission to accomplish.
'My mission is... to prevent a nuclear accident and preserve the largest nuclear power plant in Europe."
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is accused of directly brainwashing children in Russia with an alternate version of reality.
The Russian president met a group of 'high-IQ' children from all over Russia at a school in Kaliningrad in the province of the same name on the Baltic coast.
He held an hour-long Q&A and said he was shocked children did not know that Ukraine was once a part of Russia and the Soviet Union.
He spoke of the 2014 'coup' in which a pro-Russian president was ousted in Ukraine - known as the 'Revolution of Dignity', it saw Viktor Yanukovych ousted as president, accused of looting around £86 billion from the country.
