The European Union’s (EU) diplomatic chief on Monday expressed his “full support” for the creation of a “protection zone” around the Zaporijia nuclear power plant, in Ukraine, following new bombings over the weekend.
“full support” the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its Director General, Rafael Grossi, “working on nuclear safety and the surrounding buffer zone” of the Zaporijia Nuclear Power Plant, in southern Ukraine, emphasized the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has been under the control of Russian troops since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Moscow and Kiev have exchanged allegations in recent months about the origins of attacks around the complex.
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also said via social network Twitter that he is “deeply concerned about the latest bombing this weekend at the illegally seized Zaporijia nuclear power plant”.
“This is unacceptable and this Russian nuclear ‘game’ must end”added the Spanish diplomat.
IAEA detects no security risks after bombings
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) believes that, despite the heavy bombing carried out last weekend by the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporijia, there are no “immediate security concerns”.
“The condition of the six reactor units is stable and the integrity of spent fuel, fresh fuel and low, intermediate and high level radioactive waste in the respective warehouses has been confirmed”the UN nuclear agency said in a statement today.
The four international specialists working at the – under Russian occupation – largest nuclear power plant in Europe first received information from the management and then carried out an inspection to see with their own eyes the damage caused by the bombings on Saturday and Sunday.
In this way, the inspectors were able to observe the enormous destruction caused by the bombs in the industrial complex of the Ukrainian power plant.
“This is a major cause for concern as it clearly demonstrates the sheer intensity of attacks on one of the world’s largest nuclear power plants.”stated Rafael Grossi, recalling the need to create a security perimeter around the complex.
The IAEA team indicated that there have been no attacks on the plant so far last night and this Monday, although there have been bombings in the area of the neighboring town of Enerhodar and in the respective industrial area.
The United Nations specialized agency believes that the bombing in recent days was the heaviest in months, with no attribution of responsibility to any of the parties to the conflict.
UN specialists found damage to storage tanks, causing “non-radioactive leaks”, in several destroyed sections of the main road that surrounds the plant’s reactors, in a railway line and in a pressurized air duct, and verified that two pumps hit the roof of an outbuilding, including damage.
Grossi has been appealing for months to Moscow and Kiev to establish a nuclear safety perimeter around the factory complex as soon as possible.
The Zaporijia nuclear power plant is currently under the control of Russian troops, but the surrounding area has suffered attacks since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February, with Ukrainians and Russians blaming each other.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24 has already led to the flight of more than 13 million people — more than six million internally displaced persons and more than 7.8 million to European countries — according to the latest data of the UN, which classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russian security – was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and Russia political and economic sanctions.
The UN presented as confirmed since the start of the war, which today entered its 271st day, 6,595 civilian deaths and 10,189 wounded, underlining that these numbers are far below the real ones.
Source: DN
