The situation at the largest nuclear power plant in Europe had recently deteriorated sharply. Again and again the power plant site is shelled. Now international experts have access to the facility.
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are scheduled to inspect the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine this week. “I am proud to lead this mission, which will be at the nuclear power plant later this week,” tweeted IAEA chief Rafael Grossi on Monday morning with a photo of the 14-strong team. The day had come, the support and aid mission to Zaporizhia was on its way. “We must protect the safety of the largest nuclear facility in Ukraine and Europe.” A trip by IAEA experts has been under discussion for months, but has so far failed due to a lack of security guarantees and disputes about the modalities of the visit.
The largest nuclear power plant in Europe with six reactors in southern Ukraine has been occupied by Russian troops since March. The power plant site is repeatedly shelled, for which Russia and Ukraine accuse each other. The international community fears a possible nuclear accident. Two reactors went into emergency shutdown last week because the power supply was intermittent.
IAEA experts want to investigate damage and security systems on site themselves, because the information from Kyiv and Moscow is often contradictory. The situation at the nuclear power plant had recently deteriorated sharply. Several artillery shells reportedly fell in the town of Enerhodar, where the power plant employees live, on Sunday evening. As in the previous days, the Russian and Ukrainian sides blamed each other for the shelling.
A few hours earlier, Russian troops had allegedly shot down an armed Ukrainian drone directly over one of the six reactors. Russia complained that Ukraine wanted to prevent a visit by IAEA experts to the nuclear power plant with such steps. The escaped Ukrainian mayor of Enerhodar, Dmytro Orlow, spoke of a provocation: Russian troops had fired. He accused Moscow of “nuclear blackmail” because Russian troops are entrenched in the nuclear power plant.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, all pillars of nuclear safety in Zaporizhia have at least been cracked.
Source: Stern
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