Ukraine urges IAEA and UN to come to Zaporizhzhia NPP and look at Russian weapons

Ukrainska Pravda
·2 min read

OLENA ROSHCHINA — FRIDAY, 26 AUGUST, 2022, 08:23

Herman Halushchenko, Minister of Energy of Ukraine, has called on the IAEA and the UN to organise a joint mission to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to monitor nuclear safety there, as well as the use of weapons by Russian troops at the NPP.

Source: Herman Halushchenko on Facebook

Quote from Halushchenko: "I would like to once again appeal to the international community: a joint mission of the IAEA and the UN to the ZNPP should have a mandate not only to study nuclear safety standards, but also to look at external security components, primarily those related to weapons and their use by the Russian military on and near the plant.

The ZNPP must be freed from occupation and demilitarised as a matter of urgency, as this is the only way for Europe to sleep peacefully and not be afraid of nuclear clouds in its sky."

Details: Halushchenko noted that on 25 August, for the first time in its history, the ZNPP was completely disconnected from the power grid, and that the Russian occupation forces had triggered changes in the stability of the plant's operation by firing on the area around the ZNPP.

The minister said that the professionalism of Ukrainian power engineers has protected the world from possible catastrophic consequences.

"The presence of Russian military personnel at and near the ZNPP, and the fact that their further actions cannot be foreseen, is a constant trigger for a possible nuclear catastrophe," he stressed.

Background:

  • The occupiers began to attack ZNPP at the beginning of August. The Russians captured ZNPP on 4 March, and from where they are firing on Nikopol, which is located on the other side of the Kakhovka Reservoir. The parties blame each other for the attacks of the ZNPP. Firing threatens a nuclear catastrophe.

  • On 25 August, for the first time in its history, the ZNPP was completely disconnected from the power grid. Dmytro Orlov, mayor of Enerhodar, said that this happened after an attack, while Energoatom said that it was fires that caused it. Later, the IAEA reported that the ZNPP had restored its connection to the fourth line of communication with the Ukrainian grid, but all six power units had been disconnected.

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