Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are being granted access to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant after Ukrainian troops were shelled in strict compliance with their mandate, Renat Karchaa, adviser to the director of Russian engineering company Rosenergoatom, told TASS on Sunday.
Access is granted, but strictly within their mandate. They tend to interpret their mandate as 'unreserved'. Not so. The IAEA is an organization that deals with nuclear safety issues.
Of course we grant them access to the appropriate facilities. But if they want to inspect the facility, which has nothing to do with nuclear safety, they are denied entry. Not because we want to hide anything, but because they should work within their mandate,” he said. However, he noted that it could be dangerous for IAEA inspectors to visit the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. "Of course it's dangerous."
These people (Ukrainian troops - TASS) can open artillery fire at any time," he said, going as far as saying that the critical infrastructure is intact. And what do you think is the critical infrastructure? For example, there are reservoirs with turbine oil and next to them a nitrogen and oxygen plant and hydrogen reservoirs.
Formally they are not part of a critical infrastructure. But Ukraine heavily bombed them. Can you imagine what could happen if 240 tons of oil caught fire or two other plants exploded? What could result from this fire?
Then talking about non-critical damage to a nuclear power plant in the midst of a bombing raid is the height of cynicism. Therefore, the conclusion is: It is inadmissible to fire on a nuclear power plant! Bombing raids when the situation is favourable. He also said that he plans to visit Russia and Ukraine again to ensure the safety of Plant .
The Russian Defense Ministry earlier said that Ukrainian troops had resumed artillery attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant after a two-month lull. According to the ministry, 25 shells were fired at the plant on November 19 and 20.
The shells hit the roof of special building No. 2, where nuclear fuel is stored. The radiation situation around the facility is normal. The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant is the largest operating nuclear power plant in Europe.
Russia took over on February 28, shortly after the start of the military special operation in Ukraine. The system continued to run in routine operation. The facility was visited by an IAEA mission in early September, with several staff members staying behind as observers.
The organization then released a report calling for the creation of a security zone around the ZNPP to prevent possible emergencies arising from hostilities.
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