IAEA Chief Says Inspectors Will Stay At Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant For Several Days

By RFE/RL September 01, 2022

Some members of a team of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will remain at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant for the next several days, the head of the agency said after visiting the plant on September 1.

"Let the world know that the IAEA is staying at Zaporizhzhya," Rafael Grossi said in a video released by the Russian RIA Novosti news agency. He did not specify how many people will be staying or say for how long.

Plant operator Enerhoatom said five IAEA mission representatives remained at the plant after the team crossed into Russian-held territory following a delay of several hours caused by shelling in the area. They unloaded equipment they brought with them and "will continue working at the plant," Enerhoatom said on Telegram.

They are expected to stay until September 3, it added.

Grossi, who Enerhoatom said left after the initial visit along with most of the members of the inspection team, stated earlier that the inspectors had been able to see what they needed to see.

"I think we were able in these few hours to put together a lot, a lot of information. The key things I needed to see I saw, and your explanations were very clear," Rafael Grossi said, speaking to Russian media accompanying the IAEA inspection team at the Moscow-controlled atomic plant.

Speaking to reporters after returning to Ukrainian-held territory, Grossi did not say how many experts stayed behind at the plant but said they would provide an impartial, neutral, and technically sound assessment of the situation. He said they would stay at the plant "until Sunday or Monday, continuing with the assessment."

Grossi also said it was obvious the "physical integrity" of the plant had been "violated several times." He added that he continues to worry about the plant but said the situation is "more predictable" now.

The inspection team arrived at the plant earlier on September 1 despite artillery shelling in the area that delayed the investigators and forced one of the plant's reactors to shut down.

The situation at the Zaporizhzhya plant -- Europe's largest nuclear power station -- continues to be a source of major concern for the international community. Russian and Ukrainian forces have accused each other of shelling the plant, raising concerns about a possible nuclear disaster.

Ahead of the inspectors' visit, Ukrainian officials said Russian shelling forced one of two reactors operating at the power plant to shut down.

"Since 5 a.m., constant mortar attacks on the city have not stopped.... It is known that several civilian buildings were hit. There are victims! How many is still being determined," he said.

Oleksandr Starukh, head of the Zaporizhzhya region, separately reported that the Russians troops were shelling "the pre-agreed route of the IAEA mission from [the city of] Zaporizhzhya to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant."

Ukraine's state energy operator Enerhoatom said "the emergency protection was activated and the operational fifth power unit was shut down" due to the Russian mortal shelling. Enerhoatom added that "power unit No. 6 continues to work in the energy system of Ukraine" and is supplying electricity for the power plant's own needs.

In turn, Russia's Defense Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of attempting to seize the power plant early on September 1.

The ministry said that "measures had been taken" to destroy the opposing troops, including use of military aviation.

It gave no evidence to back up the claim, which could not be independently verified.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-iaea-inspection- zaporizhzhya-grossi-russia/32011882.html

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