Vienna: The physical integrity of Europe’s biggest nuclear facility in Ukraine – the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant– has been violated not once but several times, the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who along with his 14-member team returned to the IAEA headquarters here after visiting the nuclear plant, told journalists late last night (IST).
“…still we have been seeing the military activity around the plant and I was able to see myself and my team, impact holes markings on buildings of shelling which mean the physical integrity of the facility has been violated not once but several times,” Grossi said.
Also read: US hopes that Russia cooperates with IAEA team at Zaporizhzhia
He said this was something “irrespective of the kinetic power of whatever you are throwing at the plant is unacceptable in any way under any safety and security criteria”.
He expressed his concern that the military operation was increasing and that already there was “a lot of” fighting between the Russian and Ukrainian soldiers in the region.
The IAEA D-G disclosed that six of the IAEA members stayed back at the plant and were going to continue the work the team started on September 1. “We are establishing our permanent presence on site this time which we will be continuing the work,” he said.
On the cohabitation of the Russian occupiers and the Ukrainian engineers at the facility, Grossi said the plant was operating and it was admirable for the Ukrainian experts to continue to work in these conditions. “In the way they are doing, they care for the facility, they work very very well, but of course, there is a tension, there is a latent tension because of the obvious reasons of the war,” he said.
Grossi though described the relationship between the Russians and the Ukrainians as a “very professional relationship between these experts”. According to him, they were all nuclear experts and so they knew what they were doing and what they were talking about. He said, “they are human beings and they have sights o a wall that is affecting them and their families”.
According to him, this was something that must be dealt with enormous caution and the IAEA presence there will be an added value.
Watch the full press conference here:
Top photo: International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the Press Conference last night
– global bihari bureau
