Following its visit to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report on Tuesday in which it judges the “current situation untenable“. In this 52-page text, the UN body is concerned about the consequences of the Russian occupation of the plant and calls for the establishment of a “safe areato prevent a nuclear accident.
“There is an urgent need to take interim measures“, she continues, advocating”the establishment of a nuclear security and protection zone“.”Shelling on the site and in the surrounding area must cease immediately to avoid causing further damage to the facilities“, insists the IAEA, saying to itself “ready to start consultations“.
The Agency further notes “extremely stressful conditions” in which Ukrainian personnel work, under the control of Russian troops. For weeks, confusion has reigned around the Zaporijjia power plant, the largest in Europe, which has been hit by multiple strikes for which kyiv and Moscow accuse each other.
After many negotiations, an IAEA delegation was able to visit its site last Thursday. Two inspectors must remain on site permanently. “I hope it will be objective“, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had declared before the release of the report. He had criticized the IAEA last week for having concealed the question of “demilitarization” of the site.