The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that, «despite the severity of the recent shelling» around the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the main equipment remains «intact» and therefore «there are no immediate nuclear safety risks».
This was the conclusion of a team of experts from the agency who examined the effects of the weekend’s attacks, for which both Kiev and Moscow have blamed each other. No damage to the reactors or other facilities that could endanger the viability of the plant has been detected, the IAEA explained in a statement.
However, the agency’s director general, Rafael Grossi, reiterated his «concern» about the attacks, whose damage is palpable throughout the area. These effects «clearly demonstrate the intensity of the attacks on one of the world’s largest nuclear power plants».
Staff at the facility are already working to repair part of these years and clean up the area, taking advantage of the fact that there has been no record of further bombing since Sunday night. Grossi has again called for the creation of a security zone in this area, to rule out any possible risk.
«RUSSIA MUST WITHDRAW»
Russia has controlled the power plant since early March and has ignored Ukraine’s calls to leave it. Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky insisted in his evening speech on Monday that «demilitarization of the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant is extremely important.»
«Russia must withdraw all its militiamen and stop the shelling of the plant,» Zelenski has demanded, who has defended his collaboration with the IAEA.
He also discussed the issue in a telephone conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, whom he informed «of the situation on the battlefield and in the nuclear power plants». Zelenski also asked Macron for more support to protect the Ukrainian energy system from Russian shelling.
