Europe's biggest power plant faces "very real" risks of catastrophe as Russia evacuates nearby settlements ahead of an anticipated Ukrainian offensive, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warned.
IAEA experts at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant were closely monitoring the situation after learning the town of Enerhodar was being evacuated, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Saturday.
Most of the Russian-occupied plant's staff live in the town, which is not far from the plant along the Dnipro River. Grossi he would keep pressing all sides to commit to ensuring the plant's nuclear safety and security.
“The general situation in the area near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous," Grossi said.
"I’m extremely concerned about the very real nuclear safety and security risks facing the plant," he said. "We must act now to prevent the threat of a severe nuclear accident and its associated consequences for the population and the environment. This major nuclear facility must be protected."
Southern #Ukraine Updates:
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) May 7, 2023
Russian occupation officials continue to plan for mass forced evacuations in #Zaporizhia Oblast.
Russian occupation authorities temporarily suspended transport across the #Kerch Strait Bridge on May 6. https://t.co/bGDmUq530F https://t.co/GyeQ7EQJUS pic.twitter.com/Y63HtzyOXN
🌚 Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov declares that the Russian "evacuation" from the occupied part of the Zaporizhia region is happening too quickly, and huge queues have formed at the Chongar checkpoint on the road from Melitopol to Crimea#StandWithUkraine #RussiaUkraineWar pic.twitter.com/knUTtjKkPT
— UATV English (@UATV_en) May 7, 2023
Anticipating a counteroffensive
Just a little farther south of the plant in Melitopol, the Ukrainian mayor, Ivan Fedorov, posted photos of an exodus of cars lined up along a main road.
Grossi said IAEA experts were unable to visit the town. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said it will keep staff at the plant, despite their increasingly stressful work conditions – including the sounds of regular shelling.
Ukraine's military has been preparing a counteroffensive to Russia's occuping forces that's expected to launch soon aimed at gaining back territory and proving to Western supporters that their financial and military assistance is merited.
Since Russia's expanded invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022, the number of staff at the plant has steadily declined. The plant's six reactors now are all in shutdown mode.
The prospect of clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces around the plant is extremely worrying to nuclear safety officials because of the risk of power outages. The power is needed to cool the plant's reactor fuel and prevent a meltdown. In March, the plant had to run on emergency diesel generators due to missile strikes.
However, the plant's site director, Ukrainian engineer Yuri Chernichuk, who was appointed to the position by Russian forces stationed there, said all of the plant equipment is still maintained in accordance with all necessary nuclear safety and security regulations.
