Russian mines at ZNPP pose threat of nuclear incident: Ukraine urges IAEA to respond

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has called on IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to respond to the fact that Russian occupation troops are mining and militarizing the seized Zaporizhzhya NPP in Energodar. By occupying Europe's largest nuclear power plant, Russia has grossly violated all international rights.

The Kremlin flouts norms related to nuclear safety and also violates seven fundamental principles established by the IAEA to ensure nuclear safety. This was said in a statement published on the website of the agency.

It recalled that, according to the NEA, Russia is considering a scenario of a terrorist attack at the ZNPP, and such an attack would have global consequences.

"Mining and other forms of militarization of ZNPP by Russia pose a direct threat to a nuclear incident at Europe's largest nuclear power plant. We expect a clear assessment by IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi regarding Russia's criminal actions," the Foreign Ministry said.

The international community, in particular the G7 and the EU, in the ministry called for immediate measures to prevent a nuclear disaster at the plant. They suggested tightening sanctions against the Russian nuclear sector and the military-industrial complex.

The day before President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russia might be preparing an attack on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The occupiers have already prepared everything to commit a terrible crime.

He stressed that the intelligence service had received information that the Russian Federation was considering a scenario of a terrorist act at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.

The head of the State Intelligence Service, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the Russian occupiers had additionally mined the Zaporizhzhya plant. Explosives have also been placed on the cooler, which "would cause serious problems" if damaged.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the IAEA, called the situation there "extremely unstable" after his visit to ZNPP. According to him, the loss of the Kakhovka reservoir after the Russian occupants blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was a disaster for Europe's largest nuclear power plant.

As OBOZREVATEL reported, the head of the nuclear energy department at the Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety, Volodymyr Borysenko, explained that there will be no "second Chornobyl" if the Russian occupants blow up the Zaporizhzhya plant. ChNPP and ZNPP have completely different types of reactors, moreover the fuel at the latter is in the cold state.

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