KYIV, Ukraine: In order to lessen the chance of catastrophic mishaps while Russia’s war on Ukraine continues. The International Atomic Energy Agency has dispatched teams of experts. each of Ukraine’s four nuclear power reactors, according to agency chief Rafael Grossi.
The largest nuclear plant in Europe and Ukraine is Zaporizhzhia. Which is seize by Russian soldiers, already has a permanent presence of the IAEA, a United Nations agency.
With a minimum of 11 employees across all nuclear plants in Ukraine, the IAEA has expanded to a level never before seen. IAEA personnel will also be present at Chernobyl. The the now-defunct nuclear facility where a fatal nuclear accident in 1986. Caused fallout to cover a large portion of Europe.
At a joint press conference with Grossi on Wednesday at the government’s headquarters in Kyiv, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal declared that starting the following day, “there will be two flags at all of the nuclear facilities in Ukraine; one of Ukraine and the second of the international nuclear agency.”
Grossi’s promise of IAEA assistance to Ukraine comes as the nation is still reeling from two recent tragedies: a helicopter crash on Wednesday at a kindergarten in the Kyiv region that killed the country’s interior minister and about a dozen other people; and a weekend Russian missile strike on an apartment building in the southeastern city of Dnip. o that killed 45 civilians.
Grossi traveled to Chernobyl on Wednesday and Rivne on Tuesday as part of his IAEA staff installation and flag raising mission in Ukraine this week.
According to him, personnel will stay at the site “as long as they are requeste” by the Ukrainian government.
According to Grossi, the IAEA flags flying in Ukraine are “not only symbolic.” “They represent and they will signify the presence of some of the most well-known professionals. In safety and security who will offer guidance and technical help to each site. Confronting specific challenges and issues as needed during this extremely trying period.”
Shmyhal added that he asked the IAEA to impose penalties on Moscow’s Atomic Agency. Deny Moscow membership benefits, and stop all nuclear cooperation with the nation. According to Grossi, the member states would discuss this choice.
As the war with Russia, which is in its eleventh month, continues. The IAEA experts will increase the technical know-how at each plant to prevent nuclear accidents. And to keep an eye on nuclear safety and security systems. According to Grossi, the Ukrainian government requested the installation of the missions.
According to the prime minister, the Ukrainians made the request because “very simply there are attacks on (the facilities)”. We turned to the IAEA for security and protection because we want to prevent any nuclear accidents.
On the front lines of current combat between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station. The facility was take over by Russian forces in March, and since then it has been under fire numerous times.
The plant’s six reactors are presently all off. Although for safety purposes the power grid is still connect to the facility.
A nuclear safety and security protection zone around Zaporizhzhia. Where the IAEA has been stationed for more than four months, is something that Grossi is adamant about creating.
I’m still committed to bringing about the much-needed protection zone as soon as I can. Although not as quickly as they should be. My negotiations with Russia and Ukraine are progressing, according to a previous statement on Tuesday from Grossi. He stated at the news conference that the IAEA and the Ukrainian government were still in discussion over the creation of the zone. We are getting closer to a positive result, he remarked.
