The IAEA has documented damage to the exterior of the turbine building at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant
31 May 19:14
An IAEA team documented damage to the exterior of the turbine building at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to a post on the agency’s Facebook page, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
“During an inspection of the site, the team observed damage to a metal hatch located several levels higher in the building, as well as several pieces of debris and remnants of burnt optical fiber on the ground. The team’s observations are consistent with a drone strike,” the statement reads.
It is reported that the team also requested access to the interior of the building directly adjacent to reactor unit No. 6 for further inspection.
“During the inspection, the group was ordered to take cover after hearing the sound of drones nearby and gunfire intended to repel them,” the Agency reported.
At the same time, it is reported that radiation levels at the plant are normal.
“The team was able to confirm using its measuring equipment that radiation levels at the facility remain normal,” the IAEA reported.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called Saturday’s strike “a serious incident that has jeopardized key principles of nuclear safety.”
“Attacks on nuclear facilities are unacceptable and must stop to prevent the very real risk of a nuclear accident, which would benefit no one,” he stated.
As a reminder, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly rejected Russia’s accusations regarding an alleged “Ukrainian attack” on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which were disseminated on May 30 by representatives of the Russian state corporation Rosatom.
The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine stated that IAEA experts stationed at the Zaporizhzhia NPP as part of the Agency’s permanent monitoring mission must verify the information circulated regarding alleged damage caused by a drone to the machine room of power unit No. 6 of the occupied plant and report the results of the verification. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate noted that all current abnormal events and threats to nuclear and radiation safety at the ZNPP are a consequence of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and the occupation of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine stated that the Russian occupiers’ claims of alleged strikes by the Ukrainian military on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP are informational provocations and do not correspond to reality.
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