IAEA: So far no mines sighted at Zaporizhia NPP
International observers at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine have so far not seen any signs of mines being used by the Russian occupiers. The team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is permanently stationed in the nuclear power plant, has not yet been given access to some areas of the plant, said IAEA boss Rafael Grossi on Friday evening in Vienna. Parts of the turbine halls and the cooling system still need to be inspected, his report said.
Last week, the Ukrainian military intelligence service SBU said Russia had mined the nuclear power plant and was planning a terrorist attack there. Moscow rejects such allegations. “We take all these reports very seriously,” Grossi said. The IAEA is “known” that mines used to be placed in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant and at certain points in the plant. Grossi did not explain what information the IAEA has on Friday.
Shortly after the start of the war 16 months ago, Russian troops quickly occupied large parts of southern Ukraine, including important infrastructure objects such as the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. The situation around the nuclear power plant, which is close to the front and has come under fire several times, repeatedly raised concerns about a nuclear catastrophe.