Grossi denounces that he is “playing with fire” and asks all parties to exercise “maximum restraint” in the vicinity of the installation
The CEO of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Argentine Raphael Grossiwas very concerned this Saturday about last Friday’s bombing of the largest atomic plant in Europe, Zaporizhia, under Russian occupation in Ukrainian territory, and warned that they are “playing with fire” and there is risk of a “nuclear disaster”.
“I am extremely concerned about yesterday’s bombing of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which underscores the very real risk of a nuclear disaster that could threaten public health and the environment in Ukraine and beyond,” Grossi warned in a statement released in Vienna. After yesterday’s attacks on the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhiathe largest in Europe, denounced by the pro-Russian authorities, Moscow and kyiv accused each other of putting the safety of the nuclear facility at risk.
Grossi recalls that, according to the Ukrainian authorities, there was no damage to the reactors themselves or radiological emissions, but there was damage to other parts of the plant. The head of the UN nuclear agency considered “completely unacceptable” endanger the plant and assured that directing any projectile there is “play with fire” and could have “potentially catastrophic consequences.”
Ukrainian discontent
“I make a strong and urgent appeal to all parties to exercise the utmost restraint in the vicinity of this important nuclear facilityr, with its six reactors,” he demanded. Grossi again offered that the IAEA carry out a verification mission on the ground and thus “prevent the situation from getting even more out of control.”
The IAEA director was willing in June to visit the plant under Russian control, but Ukraine vehemently criticized these plans, considering that the trip by the UN official could mean some kind of legitimization of the Russian occupation. The Argentine diplomat insisted that it was “crucial“A mission to stabilize the situation at the nuclear plant.
the ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyattacked Russia in a video message by stating that “the occupiers created another extremely dangerous situation for the whole of Europe: They bombed the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant twice”.
The Russian response
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Moscow, which controls this facility practically from the first days of its military campaign in Ukraine, questioned these statements and in turn described kyiv as promoting “nuclear terrorism”. “Ukraine’s attacks on nuclear facilities can be qualified under international law as acts of nuclear terrorismRussian senator Konstantin Kosachev said on Telegram.
The pro-Russian authorities of the Zaporizhia region, partially occupied by the Russian Army, yesterday accused the Ukrainian forces of attacking the nuclear power plant with their artillery and damaging the power lines and industrial buildings of the plant. The attack led to the shutdown of one of the nuclear blocks after power was lost.