The top international nuclear energy official said today the the nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine is "completely out of control" after its seizure by Russian forces months ago. According to the Associated Press:
"Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press that the situation is getting more perilous every day at the Zaporizhzhia plant in the southeastern city of Enerhodar, which Russian troops seized in early March, soon after their Feb. 24. invasion of Ukraine.
'Every principle of nuclear safety has been violated' at the plant, he said. 'What is at stake is extremely serious and extremely grave and dangerous.'
Grossi cited many violations of the plant’s safety, adding that it is 'in a place where active war is ongoing,' near Russian-controlled territory." (our emphasis)
While Russian troops occupy the facility, Ukrainian staff are operating the plant, but the supply of parts and equipment for the plant have been interrupted to fighting around the area and IAEA inspectors haven't been allowed to conduct inspections necessary for safety. Zaporizhzhia is Europe's largest nuclear power plant, and the largest of Ukraine's 15 nuclear plants.
Russian regard for nuclear plant safety was on display with the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster in 1986 about an hour north of Kyiv when Ukraine was part of the old Soviet Union. Although the technology used to generate nuclear power was antiquated at Chernobyl, any mistake by the Russian occupiers or fatigue and stress on the Ukrainian operators could spell disaster in the heart of Europe once more. The IAEA needs to get into Zaporizhzhia, and the Russian military needs to withdraw now.
(photo: Russian soldier outside the plant. Agence France-Presse)
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