UN Watchdog Warns Safety Is ‘Deteriorating’ at Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant

UN Watchdog Raises Concerns About Declining Safety Conditions at Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant

August 18, 2024 TruthUSA

The Zaporizhzhia plant has been under Russian control since early 2022.

The safety situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is deteriorating, as warned by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog following a recent drone strike.

Russia has been in control of the plant since the beginning of the Ukraine war in March 2022. Last week, both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of a fire and drone strike at the plant, but the U.N. watchdog initially reported no impact.

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated in a news release that the dangers to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’s safety and security have escalated after a drone strike hit near the plant.

Grossi emphasized the need for maximum restraint and adherence to established principles for protecting the plant amidst the escalating situation.

According to the IAEA release, an explosive drone detonated near the plant’s protected area, close to a cooling water sprinkler and 350 feet from the lone power line supplying the plant with electricity.

Military activity near the plant remained intense, with frequent explosions and gunfire reported. The agency also noted no signs of reduced fighting in the plant’s vicinity.

The IAEA report confirmed no casualties or impact on the plant’s equipment. However, the road between the main gates of the plant was affected by the drone strike.

Ukrainian official Ivan Fedorov, overseeing Zaporizhzhia’s military administration, stated on social media that 299 drones were launched by Moscow in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on Saturday. He also reported 93 strikes in various locations across the oblast.

Following the plant fire last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed “Russian terrorists” in control of the plant and described the situation as abnormal.

Director of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Yuriy Chernichuk, appointed by the Russian government, claimed a Ukrainian drone carrying flammable liquid caused the fire.

Chernichuk explained that the drone entered the cooling tower and caused the fire to spread quickly, suggesting the use of additional flammable materials.

The worst nuclear disaster occurred in Chernobyl in 1986 under Soviet control. The U.N.’s latest statement coincides with Ukrainian forces maintaining positions in Russia’s Kursk region after a recent incursion.

Analysts believe it is premature to predict the outcome of the Ukrainian offensive in the region.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War stated that a Russian counteroffensive to reclaim seized territory may require more resources, while Ukrainian forces are fortifying their positions within Kursk Oblast.

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