Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of planned sabotage of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. There is talk of ‘night attacks’ and ‘explosives’ in the area. The International Atomic Energy Agency wants to investigate the “facts on the ground”.
In light of growing concerns over the security situation at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for expanded access to the facility. It was necessary to confirm the “absence of mines or explosives” in the area, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday.
Russia and Ukraine have previously accused each other of plans to attack Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Grossi demanded that experts from his organization be given the opportunity to check the “facts on the ground” because of the rising “military tensions and military activity” around the plant.
IAEA wants “independent” assessment of the situation
An “independent and objective assessment” of the situation at the nuclear power plant would help clarify the current situation and is therefore crucial in view of “unconfirmed claims and counter-claims,” the IAEA chief stressed.
In examining various parts of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in recent weeks, IAEA staff have found “no visible evidence of mines or explosives,” Grossi explained. However, the inspectors could not access the roofs of reactors 3 and 4, parts of the turbine halls and the cooling system.
Ukraine locates “explosive-like objects”
The Ukrainian army accused the Russian occupiers of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant on Tuesday of mounting “explosive-like objects” on the roofs of reactors 3 and 4. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “dangerous provocations”.
In Moscow, the adviser to the Russian nuclear power company Rosatom, Renat Karsha, accused the Ukrainian army on state television of planning a night attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and wanting to use “long-range precision weapons” and drones.
Nuclear power plants have been set on fire several times
The Ukrainian foreign ministry on Wednesday called on the international community to act “immediately” in response to the situation at the nuclear power plant. The ministry wrote in a statement about Russian “reinforcements” on “at least three” of the power plant’s six reactors.
The Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and has been under Russian control since March 4, 2022. Since then it has been shot at several times. It was unplugged and put into cold mode. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the attacks.
Source: Krone
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