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Nuclear experts responsible for inspecting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have said they are “extremely war” of a Russian attack following claims by Ukraine that Vladimir Putin’s forces had placed “objects resembling explosives” atop two of the reactors.
Fears are abounding both within Ukraine and in eastern Europe more widely that a nuclear disaster comparable to that of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 could be initiated by Russia, which is currently occupying the Zaporizhzia plant.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Wednesday (July 5) that his team had seen “no signs of mining” during their last inspection on Friday (June 30) but remained concerned nonetheless about a disaster.
TheIAEA has officials stationed at the Russian-held plant, which is still run by a Ukrainian staff that oversees crucial cooling systems and other safety features.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been a focus of fear since Moscow’s forces took control of it early in the war. Ever since then, Moscow and Kyiv have traded blame for shelling the facility and accused each other of nuclear terrorism.
Regular power outages resulting from shelling made it impossible to operate the plant safely, and its six reactors have been shut down to minimise the threat of a disaster.
Over the last year, the UN’s atomic watchdog repeatedly expressed alarm over the possibility of a radiation catastrophe like the one at Chernobyl after a reactor exploded in 1986.
Citing the latest intelligence reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alleged on Tuesday night (July 4) that Russian troops had placed “objects resembling explosives” on top of several of the plant’s power units to “simulate” an attack from outside.
“Their detonation should not damage power units but may create a picture of shelling from Ukraine,” according to a statement from the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces.
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