Permanent missions of the International Atomic Energy Agency have been working at nuclear power plants located in the Ukraine-controlled territory for two weeks. Since mid-January, IAEA inspectors have been present at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne, and South Ukraine nuclear power plants. From September 2, 2022, a similar mission has been working on the temporarily occupied by the russians Zaporizhzhya NPP.
The IAEA inspectors arrived at the invitation of the Ukrainian side, the corresponding invitation letter was written by the Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko on behalf of the President of Ukraine. Therefore, the IAEA will carry out continuous monitoring and control of nuclear and radiation safety and promptly inform the world community about the facts of nuclear terrorism by the ruscists.
«The presence of IAEA representatives should deter the russians from committing provocations at Ukrainian nuclear power plants and next to them, given the flights of cruise missiles or drones and even missile strikes dangerously close to nuclear power units have been recorded on several occasions,» President of Energoatom Petro Kotin emphasized.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian side cooperates with the IAEA in demilitarizing the Zaporizhzhya NPP and establishing a 30-kilometer safety zone around the plant to prevent a nuclear disaster that threatens the entire continent. In addition, the further shutdown of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe leads to the degradation of systems and equipment, since the necessary temperature regime for their operation is not observed, while the power units are in a cold idle state.
Due to this, it will take considerable time and effort to start up the ZNPP after de-occupation: the power plant will require at least a two-month preliminary inspection by professionals for the serviceability of equipment, as well as demining of the surrounding area.
