Kiev 12 August : Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that there was “no imminent danger” to the safety of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant despite the ongoing shelling however, the situation could alter “at any time”. In his speech to the UN Security Council on Thursday, Grossi called on Moscow and Kiev to allow experts from abroad access to the facility as fast as they can, according to the news agency dpa.
“I myself am ready to take on such a mission,” he said.
The US also demanded an expert visit.”This visit can’t be delayed forever,” US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Bonnie Jenkins told the council.
Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia has pledged Moscow’s cooperation and suggested that a visit be scheduled prior to the close of August.
“We are prepared to offer any assistance that is needed to resolve issues of organisation,” Nebenzia said.
Following the conference, he emphasised the fact that no country in the 15-member Council had blamed Russia for the attack at the plant.
A few hours prior to the meeting began on Russia’s behalf the Zaporizhzhya plant in the southern part of Ukraine one of the largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world plant, was attacked with heavy artillery as well as rocket launchers, according to an official of the Russian troops in the occupying force, Vladimir Rogov.
Rogov said that the fires had come out of Ukrainian areas.
The information is not independently verified.
Ukraine’s energy provider Ernohoatom stated that there were 10 radioactive incidents in the region however, conditions at the plant was under control with radioactivity not being higher than normal.
The plant in the city of Enerhodar was sprayed with shells several times and damaged over the weekend, but its vital infrastructure was reported to be in good condition.
Ukraine is accusing Russia of making the plant a stooge for attacks, whereas separatists who are pro-Russian accuse Ukraine of attacking the plant in order to force the West to intervene.
Rogov refused requests from the G7 to give the plant back to Ukrainian control and said “that is like hand grenades being handed out to an animal”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the meantime, declared that Russia is holding the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant hostage, and was using it to blackmail, in comments made via video link at the beginning of the Ukraine donation meeting in Copenhagen.
Zaporizhzhya is the third-largest nuclear power station in the world.Earth, he noted as he warned of the possibility of an accident that would be more destructive than Chernobyl in 1986.
.
