The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is alarmed by the tense situation surrounding the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which is close to the front.
The situation is becoming more and more unpredictable and the risk of danger in the Russian-occupied nuclear power plant is increasing, said IAEA boss Rafael Grossi on Saturday evening. “I am extremely concerned about the very real security risks,” he warned in a status report. “We must act now to prevent an impending serious nuclear accident.”
The pro-Moscow administration in the Zaporizhia region announced evacuations on Friday, including the city of Enerhodar, where most of the nuclear power plant personnel live. According to Grossi, the employees are staying on site, but the situation is still becoming “increasingly tense, nerve-wracking and challenging” for them and their families. According to the IAEA, permanent stress can lead to errors and accidents in nuclear power plants.
The IAEA experts on the site of the power plant would monitor the situation closely to “detect any possible impact on safety,” emphasized Grossi.
Zaporizhia could become the center of the counter-offensive
Grossi again called for an agreement between Ukraine and Russia to protect the nuclear power plant from attacks. Originally, Moscow was positive about the plan, while Kiev was skeptical because it did not provide for a Russian withdrawal from the power plant, as the German Press Agency learned from European diplomatic circles.
Since Kiev recently took a more positive stance, but at the same time called for the Russians to withdraw, Russia was said to be less agreeable. A Ukrainian counter-offensive is expected in the near future. One possibility is a military advance in the Zaporizhia region towards the coast of the Sea of Azov.
The mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov told the online service Telegram that the “evacuation” announced by the Russian authorities was happening too quickly. Very long queues had formed at the Schongar checkpoint on the road from Melitopol to Crimea. Since Friday, buses would depart every 20 to 30 minutes.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is not affected by the partial evacuation of the Zaporizhia region, as the plant manager appointed by the Russian authorities, Yuri Chernichuk, announced on Saturday.
On Friday, Moscow-appointed head of administration for the Zaporizhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, ordered the partial evacuation of 18 Russian-held locations in the Zaporizhia region, including Energodar, where the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is located. Affected are families with children, the elderly, the disabled and patients in hospitals. (dpa, AFP)
