Preliminary findings of the IAEA’s visit to the Russian-controlled nuclear plant indicated irregularities.
As was planned, two employees of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) departed from the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) on Monday, leaving behind two employees to continue monitoring the situation.
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The agency, headed by Director General Rafael Grossi, issued a report on Tuesday indicating that irregularities had been found at the beleaguered plant. The report indicated that the IAEA “observed the presence of Russian military personnel, vehicles and equipment at various places at the ZNPP, including several military trucks on the ground floor of the Unit 1 and Unit 2 turbine halls and military vehicles stationed under the overpass connecting the reactor units.”
The report went on to say that the IAEA was recommending that the “physical protection system should be operated as designed and licensed, and that the continued functioning of safety and security systems and operability of the systems and equipment at ZNPP be ensured.” In order to do this, it would require “the removal of vehicles from areas that could interfere with the operation of safety and security systems and equipment.”
Several times the plant has been disconnected from external energy supplies due to fire and other causes. Though the plant is currently running on energy that it produces, removing the plant from the grid places it at greater risk of mishap and deprives large swaths of Ukraine from power.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November, 21, 2024
Russia and Ukraine have continuously blamed each other for firing artillery at the plant.
The IAEA team that visited had examined the damage done at the plant and checked on its overall security and safety considering the attacks that it had suffered. The international team, which lacked Brits and Americans, per Russia’s demands, also studied the working conditions of the plant’s employees to make sure that they were able to perform in normal conditions.
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