NEW YORK: Russia"s “reckless” overnight attack on a nuclear power plant in Ukraine endangered all of Europe, the US ambassador to the United Nations said Friday. “By the grace of God, the world narrowly averted a nuclear catastrophe last night,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council. “Russia"s attack last night put Europe"s largest nuclear power plant at grave risk,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “It was incredibly reckless and dangerous. And it threatened the safety of civilians across Russia, Ukraine and Europe,” she said. Rosemary DiCarlo, UN undersecretary general for political affairs, told the council that attacks on nuclear power facilities “are contrary to international humanitarian law.” Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), speaking from an airplane on a flight to Iran, said he was prepared to travel to Ukraine to ensure the security of the country"s nuclear facilities. No damage was done to the reactors at Ukraine’s Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant and there was no release of radioactive material after a projectile hit a nearby building on the site overnight, Grossi also said on Friday. However, Moscow"s ambassador to the UN denied that Russian forces had shelled a nuclear power plant in Ukraine. “These statements are simply untrue,” Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council. “This is all part of an unprecedented campaign of lies and disinformation against Russia.” He said Russian troops had exchanged small arms fire with Ukrainian forces at Europe"s largest atomic power plant in Zaporizhzhia but had not shelled the facility. Two members of security staff were injured when the projectile hit overnight after the Ukrainian authorities reported a battle with Russian troops near Europe’s biggest power plant, which is operating at just a small fraction of its capacity with one of its six units still running.