Ukraine’s nuclear power company Energoatom warned on Saturday of further Russian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, while assessing the risk of a “radioactive spray” in that complex occupied by Russian troops.
“In the last 24 hours, Russian troops bombed the site of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Ukraine’s electrical system has been restored.
Previously, pro-Russian authorities in that Ukrainian region had, in turn, denounced Ukrainian attacks near the atomic plant, the largest in Europe.
Energoatom reported yesterday the re-establishment of the connection of one of its reactors to the Ukrainian power line, which was followed today by the reactivation of a second reactor.
Last Thursday , the plant had been completely disconnected from the grid, after the detection of a fire and amidst reports s of attacks on both sides.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, yesterday called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to arrive “as soon as possible” at the plant to avoid new risks .
“The situation remains very risky and dangerous. Any repetition of yesterday’s events, i.e. any disconnection of the power plant from the grid, any action by Russia that could trigger the shutdown of the reactors, will put the power plant one step closer to disaster again,” he said.
Zelensky emphasized that his country’s nuclear scientists managed to protect the plant “from the worst-case scenario, which is constantly provoked by Russian forces”.
The mission could reach Ukrainian territory “in the next few days” after that the director general of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, confirmed on Thursday a principle of agreement with Kiev and Moscow, which opposes, instead, the presence of the UN agency being permanent.
