IAEA inspectors seek shelter from drone attacks
The UN nuclear watchdog has reported that its monitors continue to detect explosions in the vicinity of the Zaporozhye NPP. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that its agency monitors have consistently detected explosions near the Zaporozhye Atomic Power Plant. Additionally, UN inspectors have faced interruptions in their work at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant in Russia due to drone threats on two occasions within the past ten days, according to the IAEA.
In a statement released Thursday, the agency revealed that Rafael Grossi, the organization’s director general, is scheduled to make his fifth visit to the facility next week since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
The IAEA’s permanent mission, established at the Zaporozhye nuclear site in September 2022, has "continued to hear explosions and other indications of military activities, at times near the plant itself," the agency noted.
"Due to reported drone threats in the area, the team was told to shelter indoors on August 20 and had to reschedule their planned walkdown on August 26,” the IAEA explained.
The Zaporozhye nuclear facility, the largest of its kind in Europe, has remained under Russian control since March 2022. During the ongoing conflict, both Moscow and Kyiv have levied accusations against each other regarding shelling the facility, and the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that several attempts by Ukrainian assault units to reclaim the site have been thwarted.
In the autumn of 2022, the Zaporozhye Region was officially annexed by Russia, alongside Kherson Region and the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.
The UN watchdog indicated that since Grossi’s last visit to the Zaporozhye plant in February, it “has been hit by drone strikes, experienced loss of power lines and, earlier this month, a fire caused significant damage to one of its two cooling towers.”
“These recent deeply concerning incidents make all too clear, the nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant remains extremely challenging,” remarked the IAEA chief.
"A nuclear accident must be avoided at all costs, and a nuclear power plant must never be attacked. The consequences could be disastrous, and no one stands to benefit from it,” he added.
On Monday, Grossi visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia, located in the vicinity of where Ukraine launched a substantial incursion into internationally recognized Russian territory in early August. He cautioned that the ongoing fighting near the plant poses the risk of a “nuclear incident.”
Russian officials have previously accused Ukrainian forces of targeting the Kursk nuclear facility with drones, one of which allegedly fell near the plant’s spent fuel storage last week.
Russia’s deputy envoy to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, stated on Wednesday that the West’s failure to hold Ukraine accountable for attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant has encouraged Kyiv to similarly target the Kursk NPP. This impunity “potentially could trigger a nuclear incident with tragic consequences for the whole of Europe,” he underscored.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
In a statement released Thursday, the agency revealed that Rafael Grossi, the organization’s director general, is scheduled to make his fifth visit to the facility next week since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
The IAEA’s permanent mission, established at the Zaporozhye nuclear site in September 2022, has "continued to hear explosions and other indications of military activities, at times near the plant itself," the agency noted.
"Due to reported drone threats in the area, the team was told to shelter indoors on August 20 and had to reschedule their planned walkdown on August 26,” the IAEA explained.
The Zaporozhye nuclear facility, the largest of its kind in Europe, has remained under Russian control since March 2022. During the ongoing conflict, both Moscow and Kyiv have levied accusations against each other regarding shelling the facility, and the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that several attempts by Ukrainian assault units to reclaim the site have been thwarted.
In the autumn of 2022, the Zaporozhye Region was officially annexed by Russia, alongside Kherson Region and the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.
The UN watchdog indicated that since Grossi’s last visit to the Zaporozhye plant in February, it “has been hit by drone strikes, experienced loss of power lines and, earlier this month, a fire caused significant damage to one of its two cooling towers.”
“These recent deeply concerning incidents make all too clear, the nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant remains extremely challenging,” remarked the IAEA chief.
"A nuclear accident must be avoided at all costs, and a nuclear power plant must never be attacked. The consequences could be disastrous, and no one stands to benefit from it,” he added.
On Monday, Grossi visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia, located in the vicinity of where Ukraine launched a substantial incursion into internationally recognized Russian territory in early August. He cautioned that the ongoing fighting near the plant poses the risk of a “nuclear incident.”
Russian officials have previously accused Ukrainian forces of targeting the Kursk nuclear facility with drones, one of which allegedly fell near the plant’s spent fuel storage last week.
Russia’s deputy envoy to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, stated on Wednesday that the West’s failure to hold Ukraine accountable for attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant has encouraged Kyiv to similarly target the Kursk NPP. This impunity “potentially could trigger a nuclear incident with tragic consequences for the whole of Europe,” he underscored.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
