The UN nuclear watchdog has warned that Russian forces have tightened their controls since the seizure of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant on Friday.
Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said On Sunday Ukraine’s nuclear regulator informed her that staff members at the plant, the largest in Ukraine, now need to seek approval from the Russian military for any operation, even maintenance.
He said Russian forces also shut down some mobile networks and the Internet at the plant, hindering the possibility of getting reliable information from the site through normal channels of communication.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said: “I am deeply concerned about these incidents reported to me today.”
“In order for the plant to be able to operate safely and securely, management and employees must be allowed to perform their vital duties under stable conditions without any outside interference or pressure,” he said.
The UN agency was informed that phone lines – as well as email and fax – were not working since Sunday. Mobile phone communication was still possible, but with poor quality.
“Deteriorating situation in relation to important communications between the regulator and the Zaporizhzhia NPP [Nuclear Power Plant] It is also a matter of deep concern, especially during an armed conflict that could endanger the nation’s nuclear facilities at any time,” Grossi said.
Despite the difficulties, the agency confirmed that radiation levels at the plant remained normal.
The nuclear power plant was captured nine days after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. Russian shelling engulfed a building at the site, raising global concern of a potential large-scale disaster. The fire was later brought under control without any major damage. Russia accused the attack on Ukrainian saboteurs, calling it “monstrous provocation”.
Ukraine is also home to Chernobyl, another nuclear plant that exploded in 1986, causing the worst nuclear accident in history. The dormant nuclear site was seized by the Russian military on the first day of the invasion.
On Sunday Ukraine’s nuclear regulator also informed the IAEA that it encountered problems communicating with personnel at the Chernobyl plant. It said more than 200 workers at the site had not been able to move around since the site was occupied.
In another related development, the IAEA said in a statement that “communication has also been lost with all enterprises and institutions in the port city of Maripol that use category 1-3 radiation sources and no information about their status.” Was”.
Grossi reiterated his desire to visit Ukraine to establish a framework to protect nuclear facilities across the country during the conflict.
credited by aljazeera
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