Ukraine: UN inspectors pressed on towards a Russian-held nuclear plant in southern Ukraine Thursday despite an early shelling attack, as the ICRC warned the consequences of a strike on the facility could be “catastrophic”.
Just before the 14-strong team from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) left for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Ukraine said Russian troops had shelled the town next door.
The area around the plant — Europe’s largest nuclear facility — has suffered repeated shelling, with both sides accusing the other of responsibility, sparking global concern over the risk of an accident.
“It is high time to stop playing with fire and instead take concrete measures to protect this facility.. from any military operations,” ICRC chief Robert Mardini told reporters in Kyiv.
“The slightest miscalculation could trigger devastation that we will regret for decades.”
Ukraine’s nuclear agency Energoatom said later that one of the six reactors at the Russian-held nuclear plant was shut down Thursday as an emergency protection measure following the shelling in the area.
“Today at 4:57 am (0157 GMT), due to another mortar shelling by the Russian occupying forces at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant site, the emergency protection was activated and operating power unit 5 was shut down,” it said.
Mardini said it was “encouraging” that the IAEA team was en route to inspect the plant because the stakes were “immense”.
“When hazardous sites become battlegrounds, the consequences for millions of people and the environment can be catastrophic and last many years,” he said.
Just before leaving the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said his team had been updated about the shelling but would press on anyway.
“We are not stopping,” he vowed, despite being aware there that in crossing the frontline into Russian-held territory, there was a security “grey area.. where the risks are significant”.
“I believe we have to proceed with this. We have a very important mission to accomplish.”
Leave a Reply