By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- On Thursday, Ukraine nuclear operator Energoatom confirmed that an international team of 14 UN nuclear experts from The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) made it through an active war zone to get to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for a scheduled, detailed inspection amid fears of a nuclear disaster due to shelling in and around the plant.
On Thursday, bombing began in the city of Enerhodar, not far from the plant. Due to mortar shelling by Russian forces, one of the plant’s two working reactors shut down Thursday, according to reports from Energoatom. Ukrainian officials accuse Russian forces of attacking the pre-planned IAEA mission’s route to the plant. Speaking to the press on Thursday, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said the inspection is to “start immediately on an assessment of the security and the safety situation.”
Grossi said his team’s goal is to create a permanent presence at the plant that he said “we believe is indispensable to stabilize the situation and to get regular, reliable, impartial, neutral updates of what the situation is there.” CNN reported on Thursday that the shelling near the plant was some of the worst in the area and that the inspectors have been able to “see what they needed to see.” CNN also reported that some of the IAEA inspection team have decided to stay at the plant. The issues to be checked include the structural integrity of the reactor as well as the nuclear fuel output.
Analysts and experts weighing in, explain that the Russians are using the nuclear plant as a type of human shield. The IAEA goal is to have a permanent presence at the facility, and whether Russia would be open to it. Russia installed Governor of the occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia plant told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the mission would inspect operational parts of the plant and visit the reactors. The mission of inspectors is expected to remain at the plant until September 3.
CNN reported on Thursday, that experts indicate that the worst-case scenario could result in a catastrophe on the scale of the Fukishima disaster. As Grossi told the press: “If we are able to establish a permanent presence, or a continued presence, then it’s going to be prolonged. But this first segment is going to take a few days.” He added that the mission’s purpose is “to prevent a nuclear accident.” In addition, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko explained that the inspection mission had a security agreement with Russia while some of the team will remain at the site for a few days. Haluschenko emphasized the situation surrounding the nuclear facility is “a mess” and said that he told IAEA chief Grossi that it’s his team’s responsibility to make sure the nuclear plant is safe, adding that Grossi seemed confident about taking on the risk.
Earlier this week, a Russian diplomat to the IAEA said Russia would welcome a permanent IAEA presence at the facility. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that he wants the IAEA to assist in getting a deal to demilitarize Zaporizhzhia, not just get an inspection completed. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia was doing anything it could to make the IAEA mission safe – meanwhile Russia is being accused of using the plant as a type of shield to launch attacks and protect its troops.
