The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on his first trip to the country since Russia began its occupation. 

The IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi said he was meeting with Ukrainian government officials and staff at the Southern Ukraine nuclear power plant as part of the UN nuclear watchdog's efforts to provide "technical assistance" to the country and ensure safety and security of its nuclear facilities. 

He said in a series of social media posts that the presence of the agency on the ground in Ukraine "will help prevent the risk of a nuclear accident that could have serious consequences for public health and the environment" both within the country and beyond.