IAEA confirms russia deploying military equipment and troops at Zaporizhzhia NPP
On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report on radiation safety in Ukraine, which in particular shared data on the mission's visit to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
This is stated in the IAEA report.
Members of the mission confirmed that the russian federation has placed "military personnel, vehicles, and equipment at various
places at the ZNPP, including several military trucks on
the ground floor of Unit 1 and Unit 2 turbine halls.
The IAEA mission also noted the presence of the ROSATOM expert group, which, as the russian side told them, "the role of this expert group was to provide advice on nuclear safety, security, and operations to the management of the ZNPP."
"The IAEA considers that the presence of Rosatom senior technical staff could lead to interference with the normal lines of operational command or authority and create potential frictions when it comes to decision-making," the report states.
It is also mentioned that the presence of Russians at the ZNPP had a negative impact on the station's Ukrainian staff:
"The condition that the operating staff is subject to constant high stress and pressure while operating the NPP is not sustainable and could lead to increased human error with implications on nuclear safety," the report said.
In its recommendations, the IAEA calls for an immediate end to any shelling of the station to avoid further damage, which requires "agreement by all relevant parties." At the same time, it is not indicated who is carrying out the shelling.
The organization's experts also call for removing "vehicles from areas that could interfere with the operation of safety and security systems and equipment" from the territory of the ZNPP and creating proper working conditions for the personnel.
A separate recommendation concerns the " establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the ZNPP," in which the IAEA is ready to assist.
"The situation in Ukraine is unprecedented. It is the first time a military conflict has occurred amid the facilities of a large, established nuclear power programme. A nuclear accident can have serious impacts within the country and beyond its borders, and the international community is relying on the IAEA to perform a rigorous assessment of the situation and to keep it informed with accurate and timely information," the report's conclusions emphasize the threat of a potential nuclear conflict.
