IAEA reported military activity near Ukrainian NPPs: nuclear safety at risk
Kyiv • UNN
IAEA teams recorded explosions and drone flights near Khmelnytskyi and Rivne NPPs. This creates a serious danger, as any hostilities near nuclear facilities violate key safety principles.
IAEA teams at the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne NPPs recorded explosions and drone flights on the night of September 10. Although no direct damage was caused to the stations, the agency's leadership warns: any hostilities near nuclear facilities pose a serious danger. This is stated in the statement of the IAEA Director General, writes UNN.
Details
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated that his specialists witnessed "extremely large-scale military activity" near two operating Ukrainian NPPs. In particular, nine drones were recorded at the Khmelnytskyi station three kilometers from the site, and the Rivne NPP reported the flight of 13 drones in the observation zone.
No nuclear power plant should be in a combat zone. A serious accident would be a disaster for all parties to the conflict.
The IAEA emphasizes that military activity near NPPs violates several key safety principles at once, including the physical integrity of facilities and personnel protection. This makes Ukrainian stations extremely vulnerable.
Of particular concern is the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is directly close to the zone of active hostilities. According to Grossi, six of the seven basic safety criteria there remain under threat. Agency observers regularly hear shelling and report limited access to part of the infrastructure, including the diesel fuel storage.
Vulnerability of other objects
In the Chornobyl territory, three of the "seven pillars" of security remain at risk after a drone attack in February. Despite the difficulties, the Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, and South Ukrainian NPPs continue to stably generate electricity. The deterioration of the power grid, in particular the damage to substations, increases the risk of emergency reactor shutdown.
The IAEA, together with the EU and 30 donor countries, supplies equipment to enhance the safety of Ukrainian NPPs. At the same time, the agency calls on the parties to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from military actions near nuclear facilities.
Recall
IAEA Head Grossi reported 217 Agency missions in Ukraine involving 176 employees, covering all nuclear power plants, including Chornobyl. The IAEA almost daily informs about the situation at the occupied ZNPP, where its launch after de-occupation may take years.
Grossi also reported that no ZNPP reactor can be safely launched due to the unstable situation and the threat to the seven pillars. The water level in the cooling pond is approaching critical, and the presence of Russian troops near the station also increases the risks.