International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi was on a one-day visit to Kyiv on June 3. He stressed that the danger to nuclear safety remains very real against the backdrop of frequent air alerts due to the threat of russian attacks.
This was reported by the IAEA press service.
Thus, Grossi was in Ukraine as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to prevent a nuclear accident during a military conflict. It is indicated that due to the air alert, one of his meetings was held in an underground shelter.
The IAEA noted that one of the main priorities of the visit to Kyiv, which included a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was to discuss how the IAEA can help restore Ukraine's damaged and destroyed nuclear energy infrastructure.
"It is clear that the threat to nuclear security remains very real and ever-present. My teams report that this was the most intense day of air alerts they have experienced since late last year. More than three years after the start of this terrible war, the IAEA presence on site remains essential to averting the threat of a major nuclear accident," Grossi said.
In particular, IAEA teams based at Ukraine's two operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) - Khmelnytskyi and Rivne - were instructed to seek cover during a day of extremely frequent air alerts. The team at the Rivne NPP in western Ukraine went to shelters three times, twice reportedly due to cruise missile alerts and once due to a ballistic missile alert.
The agency stressed that while there were no reports of attacks affecting the operation of nuclear power plants, the sound of air raid sirens in Kyiv and other cities underscored the ongoing dangerous situation, including for nuclear safety.
"But at the same time, we must start looking to the future. While the IAEA remains committed to doing everything it can to help preserve the safety and security of Ukraine's nuclear facilities until this devastating war is over, it is also crucial to prepare for the recovery phase, where the IAEA can also play an important role. In today's meetings, President Zelenskyy and his ministers expressed strong support and appreciation for the IAEA's continued presence at Ukraine's nuclear facilities and our important role in strengthening its energy infrastructure," the IAEA added.
Meanwhile, at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhzhia, which is currently temporarily occupied by the aggressor state of russia, the IAEA team was informed that the satellite town of Enerhodar, where most of the plant’s employees live, had experienced several power outages since midnight, and water supply disruptions had also affected the plant itself.
The IAEA team was also informed that the town and its water pumping station were using mobile diesel generators for power. Zaporizhzhia NPP remained connected to an external power source at all times.
The agency added that later this week, Director General Grossi would also visit the russian federation for high-level talks on nuclear safety and security.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on May 22, the head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, Petro Andriushchenko, said that connecting the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP to the russian power grid was a matter of weeks.
Also on May 27, the American publication The New York Times stated that the aggressor country of russia is preparing to connect the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to its own energy system.
At the same time, on May 29, a representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that there are no signs that the aggressor country of russia is preparing to restart the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Grossi also emphasized that today there are no proper conditions for restarting the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, since there is no stable power supply and water for cooling.
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