India, May 17 -- The head of Russia's state nuclear corporation has accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of turning a blind eye to what Moscow describes as escalating Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, intensifying tensions around Europe's largest atomic energy facility and reigniting fears of a catastrophic nuclear incident in the heart of the conflict zone.

Speaking on Saturday, Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev said the IAEA Secretariat was failing to adequately respond to what he described as "daily Ukrainian attacks" on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, widely known as ZNPP, as well as attacks on surrounding civilian infrastructure in Russian-controlled territories.

"The IAEA Secretariat is effect...