Vienna, Jul 8 (IANS): The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has excluded "any visible indications of mines or explosives" at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, the UN nuclear watchdog's chief said.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in a statement on Friday that its experts had received additional access, reports Xinhua news agency.

They have inspected parts of the facility and continued to conduct regular walkdowns across the site in recent days and weeks.

"The IAEA experts ... were yesterday (Thursday) also able to check a wider section of the perimeter of the ZNPP's large cooling pond than previously," Grossi said.

"So far, they have not seen any mines or explosives. But they still need more access, including to the rooftops of reactor units 3 and 4 and parts of the turbine halls," he added.

The IAEA head stressed the importance of ensuring the full access of the IAEA experts to the ZNPP to maintain its safety.

The Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is one of Europe's largest nuclear power plants, has been controlled by Russian forces since March last year.