Director General of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency says there is no benefit for anyone involved in attacking nuclear facilities.
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine has come under fresh attack from drone strikes, leading to the head of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency to again call on military brass from both sides to abstain from attacking nuclear facilities.
ZNPP, in southeastern Ukraine, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the largest in the world. Russian military forces captured it in 2022 and have remained in control of the plant ever since. It has not been confirmed by officials who is responsible for the attack, but Russia claims it was Ukraine.
According to an April 7 press release from Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); this is the first time since November 2022 the plant has been directly targeted by a military action.
“This is a major escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant,” Director General Grossi said.
“Such reckless attacks significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident and must cease immediately,” he added.
He also called it a clear violation of the basic principles for protecting the facility established by the U.N. Security Council in May last year, which is putting the whole region at risk. The principles prohibit attacks, acts of sabotage, or the storage of heavy weapons at the facility.
3 Confirmed Strikes Against Facility
In a related post on X, Mr. Grossi revealed that at least three direct hits were made against the ZNPP main reactor’s containment structures, as confirmed by IAEA experts stationed at the site. At the moment, there are no indications of damage to critical nuclear safety or security systems at the site.
However, the IAEA team reported that one of the site’s six reactor buildings where surveillance and communication equipment was kept has been targeted. They also claim to have seen Russian troops engage another approaching drone near the roof of reactor unit 6 and heard explosions, artillery fire, and shooting on the site throughout the day. At least one casualty has been reported by the IAEA team, who claim to have found blood at the site but this has not been confirmed by Russian military forces.
Mr. Grossi said his team on the ground had not observed any structural damage to systems, structures, and components important to the plant’s nuclear safety or security.
“Although the damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, this was a serious incident that had the potential to undermine the integrity of the reactor’s containment system,” he said.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), points on a map of the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Vienna, Austria, on March 4, 2022. (Joe Klamar/AFP via Getty Images)
He warned that there is no benefit for anyone involved in attacking nuclear facilities, and as such, is calling on military brass from both sides to abstain from further attacks.
“As I have repeatedly stated, including at the Security Council and the IAEA Board of Governors, no one can conceivably benefit or get any military or political advantage from attacks against nuclear facilities,” he said.
“Attacking a nuclear power plant is an absolute no go. I firmly appeal to military decision makers to abstain from any action violating the basic principles that protect nuclear facilities,” he added.
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine has come under fresh attack from drone strikes, leading to the head of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency to again call on military brass from both sides to abstain from attacking nuclear facilities.
ZNPP, in southeastern Ukraine, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the largest in the world. Russian military forces captured it in 2022 and have remained in control of the plant ever since. It has not been confirmed by officials who is responsible for the attack, but Russia claims it was Ukraine.
“This is a major escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant,” Director General Grossi said.
“Such reckless attacks significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident and must cease immediately,” he added.
3 Confirmed Strikes Against Facility
In a related post on X, Mr. Grossi revealed that at least three direct hits were made against the ZNPP main reactor’s containment structures, as confirmed by IAEA experts stationed at the site. At the moment, there are no indications of damage to critical nuclear safety or security systems at the site.
However, the IAEA team reported that one of the site’s six reactor buildings where surveillance and communication equipment was kept has been targeted. They also claim to have seen Russian troops engage another approaching drone near the roof of reactor unit 6 and heard explosions, artillery fire, and shooting on the site throughout the day. At least one casualty has been reported by the IAEA team, who claim to have found blood at the site but this has not been confirmed by Russian military forces.
Mr. Grossi said his team on the ground had not observed any structural damage to systems, structures, and components important to the plant’s nuclear safety or security.
“Although the damage at unit 6 has not compromised nuclear safety, this was a serious incident that had the potential to undermine the integrity of the reactor’s containment system,” he said.
He warned that there is no benefit for anyone involved in attacking nuclear facilities, and as such, is calling on military brass from both sides to abstain from further attacks.
“As I have repeatedly stated, including at the Security Council and the IAEA Board of Governors, no one can conceivably benefit or get any military or political advantage from attacks against nuclear facilities,” he said.
“Attacking a nuclear power plant is an absolute no go. I firmly appeal to military decision makers to abstain from any action violating the basic principles that protect nuclear facilities,” he added.