Berlin, 18 February 2023 (dpa/MIA) — The risk of a disaster at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine due to fighting or the loss of external power remains high, despite the threat having fallen from the headlines, the head of Germany's Federal Office for Radiation Protection said.

Inge Paulini said there is considerable risk of an accident occurring that has far-reaching consequences as long as the war continues.

"Nearly one year after the start of the war of aggression, this danger already seems to be receding into the background of public awareness," she told dpa in an interview.

Apart from a direct attack on a plant, Paulini said the risk associated with power supply failures is among her top worries.

If external electricity supplies to a nuclear plant is interrupted and back up sources also fail, it could lead to a nuclear meltdown.

"Electricity is absolutely necessary for safe operations," Paulini said.

It's possible, she said, that combat operations could again cause problems with the power supply to nuclear facilities.

There is continued tension surrounding the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in south-eastern Ukraine, which is occupied by Russia. Last year, the plant - which is the largest in Europe - was repeatedly shelled and suffered power supply issues.

Paulini believes the push for a security zone around the Zaporizhzhya plant - as called for by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - is the best course of action.