According to the Ukrainian operator of the nuclear power plant (NPP) Enerhoatom, several employees who are not in favor of the Russian troops have disappeared. In addition, the armed forces violently suppressed Ukrainian personnel. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection may take longer than originally announced.
A “neutral technical assessment of the power plant” must be carried out, as IAEA chief Rafael Grossi announced on Twitter. Specifically, the nuclear experts must check the condition of the power station with its six reactors, the conditions under which the Ukrainian workforce works and whether all the nuclear material is still there. The facility and its surroundings have come under repeated fire in recent weeks, with the Ukrainian and Russian sides blaming each other.
“We’re not going anywhere”
Shortly before the arrival of the IAEA on Thursday, fighting broke out again in the area. As a result, one of the two reactors still in operation at the nuclear power plant was shut down, according to Enerhoatom. Internationally there is great concern about damage to the plant and the release of radioactivity. “The IAEA is here now, it’s in the facility and it’s not going away — it’s staying there. We’re not going anywhere,” Grossi clarified after an initial stay of several hours. There is still a lot to do.
Five of the nine experts stayed on Thursday afternoon for further investigation. The Russian authorities had indicated in advance that the operation would only last one day. The head of the Ukrainian group Energoatom, Petro Kotin, on the other hand, assumes that the mission will probably last until Saturday. Meanwhile, Ukrainian engineers would try to get the fifth reactor unit up and running again.
Escalating Accusations
The accusations from the Ukrainian side are getting sharper. In fact, workers who do not favor Russian troops have disappeared, nuclear power plant operator Enerhoatom said. Other workers are exposed to the repression of the occupiers.
With a capacity of 5700 megawatts, the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is the most powerful nuclear power plant in Europe. The site and the associated town of Enerhodar were captured shortly after the start of the war in February. Since then, they have been controlled by the Russian military administration. In the power plant itself, however, there are still Ukrainian specialists.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
