ALBAWABA - Later on Monday, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said that mines were discovered on the outskirts of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power facility by experts from IAEA.
Some mines were discovered by the IAEA team in a buffer zone between the site's internal and external perimeter. The experts indicated that they were in a restricted area that only operating plant staff could access and that they faced away from the site.
"Having such explosives on the site is inconsistent with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance and creates additional psychological pressure on plant staff – even if the IAEA’s initial assessment based on its own observations and the plant’s clarifications is that any detonation of these mines should not affect the site’s nuclear safety and security systems" said Grossi.
Russia has had military and operational control of Europe's largest nuclear power facility since March 4, 2022, about two weeks after it commenced its invasion of Ukraine.
The IAEA crew heard numerous detonations some distance distant from the plant on the evening of July 22.
Following the destruction of the downstream Kakhovka dam in early June and the subsequent depletion of the massive reservoir near the plant, IAEA experts are continuing to closely monitor the situation regarding the availability of water for cooling the ZNPP's six reactors and other essential nuclear safety and security functions.
The IAEA Support and Assistance Mission on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources in Ukraine, arrived in Kyiv today as part of a mission to assess the country's radiation safety and nuclear security situation regarding radioactive sources, as well as to identify equipment needs and other requirements.
Grossi's visits to Zaporizhzhia
On June 15th, Grossi arrived in the area to assess the situation, after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam imposed great threats on the nuclear plant, which relies heavily on water from the reservoir to power its turbine condensers.
The IAEA watchdog was anticipated to lead an expert expedition at the facility "with a strengthened team". Since last fall, IAEA experts have been observing the situation at the nuclear power plant.
