Ukraine and Russia exchanged accusations on Sunday over a fresh strike on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, one of the largest atomic power complexes in Europe and generates a quarter of Ukraine's total electricity.

Energoatom, Ukraine's state-run nuclear energy operator, accused Russian forces of shelling the power plant, saying the latest rocket attacks on Saturday hit the area next to the plant's dry storage facility where 174 containers with spent nuclear fuel were stored in the open air.

It also said that three radiation monitoring detectors around the facility were damaged.

But according to a report from Russia's TASS news agency, the administration of Energodar City where the power plant is located, blamed the Ukrainian army for the overnight attacks using the 220-mm Uragan multiple launch rocket system.

The report said that the storage facility for spent nuclear fuel was in the affected area and the submunitions and the rocket engine fell within 400 meters of the operating power unit. 

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been under the control of Russian forces since March and has been the scene of military strikes in recent days.

(With input from Xinhua)