The level of radioactivity at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine is “abnormal”, said Tuesday the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, visiting the site.
“The level of radioactivity is, I would say, abnormal,” Grossi told reporters at the site, which had been occupied by the Russian military between Feb. 24 and late March. “We are monitoring all of this on a daily basis,” he added.
EU fears nuclear disaster
The European Union warned on Tuesday of a new nuclear disaster in Ukraine, 36 years after the Chernobyl explosion, due to the Russian offensive and asked Moscow to refrain from any action against the country’s facilities. .
The Russian forces entered Ukraine control the Ukrainian power plant of Zaporozhye, the largest in Europe, targeted during the offensive launched at the end of February by artillery fire which had caused a fire in annex buildings and raised fears of a disaster.
“Russia’s illegal and unjustified aggression in Ukraine again puts nuclear safety on our continent at risk,” warned European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell and Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson in a joint statement.
The two European officials accuse the Russian forces of having “recklessly damaged the installations” of the nuclear sites attacked.
“Illegal occupation and disruption of normal operations, including preventing staff turnover, jeopardizes the safe and secure operation of nuclear power plants in Ukraine and significantly increases the risk of accidents,” they added.
“On the anniversary of the Chernobyl accident in 1986, we reiterate our utmost concern about the nuclear safety and security risks caused by Russia’s recent actions at the Chernobyl site,” they said. they insisted.
Ukraine has 15 reactors in four operating plants, in addition to waste repositories such as Chernobyl.