According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the situation at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine is “extremely tense”. “All security principles have been violated in one way or another,” IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York. “We cannot allow this to continue.”
The power plant in Zaporizhzhya is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. It has been occupied since early March by Russian troops, who took over just days after they began invading Ukraine.
Ukraine opposes IAEA mission
Since then, the IAEA has been trying to send experts to Zaporizhzhya, so far without success. Ukraine opposes an IAEA mission because Kiev believes it would mean recognizing the Russian occupation.
“Going to the site is very complex because it requires the consent and cooperation of certain actors,” Grossi said, referring mainly to Ukraine and Russia. The IAEA chief spoke on the sidelines of a UN conference on the review of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Numerous states warned of the danger of a nuclear conflict, also against the background of the war in Ukraine.
Nuclear power plants as “nuclear shield”?
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has accused Russia of using the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant as a “shield”. Moscow rejects this. On the sidelines of a UN conference on the review of the NPT, the Russian delegation announced that the nuclear power plant had only been occupied by Russian troops to prevent other military officials from causing a “nuclear provocation”.
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.
