Akm Shehabuddin Kisslu: The head of the UN nuclear agency said the “physical integrity” of a Russian-held Ukrainian nuclear plant had been “violated” following frequent shelling, on his team’s first visit to the facility.
A 14-strong team of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived at the facility on Thursday to conduct “security and safeguards activities” after a risky journey across the frontline and early-morning shelling of the area.
“It is obvious that the plant and physical integrity of the plant has been violated several times,” IAEA head Rafael Grossi told reporters after returning to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Grossi said part of the IAEA mission would stay at Zaporizhzhia “until Sunday or Monday” to continue the assessment, without specifying their number.
After the inspection, in a video released by the Russian RIA Novosti news agency, Grossi said: “We have achieved something very important today and the important thing is the IAEA is staying here”.
On leaving Zaporizhzhia, IAEA head Rafael Grossi said his team would be travelling through areas where “the risks are significant” but had decided to go ahead anyway due to the “very important mission to accomplish”.
Russia’s ambassador to international institutions in Vienna said two IAEA inspectors would stay at the plant on a permanent basis, RIA said on Friday.
Russian forces seized control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, Europe’s largest, and the surrounding region shortly after the February 24 invasion. After Russian forces seized the plant on March 4, Energoatom shut two reactors, followed by a third after shelling on August 5. With a fourth undergoing repairs, Thursday’s incident leaves only one of the six reactors working.
Both sides have traded blame for recent shelling near the plant lying on the frontline, sparking fears of a nuclear disaster.
Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear agency, said it was “the second time in 10 days” that Russian shelling had forced the closure of a reactor.
It said the plant’s emergency protection system kicked in shortly before 5am, shutting reactor five, with the attack damaging a backup power supply.
