Ukraine: tense situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant between Russian soldiers and Ukrainian personnel

The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is occupied by the Russians, May 1, 2022. This photo was taken during a press trip organized by the Russian Defense Ministry.

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Russian missiles fired from the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine is the very serious accusation made by the country's authorities.

Under the control of the Russian army since March, the plant continues to operate but the situation there remains extremely tense between the Russian soldiers who occupy it and the Ukrainian personnel.

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According to the Ukrainian authorities, several hundred Russian soldiers are permanently stationed on the

site of the nuclear power plant

.

Added to this are heavy equipment: tanks, armored vehicles and trucks loaded with weapons and explosives.

Worse still, Ukraine accuses the Russian army of having deployed missile launchers on the site and of having fired on the territory of Nikopol, 80 kilometers south-west of Zaporijjia.

Dispute between Ukrainians and IAEA

The Ukrainian authorities say they are extremely worried and they accuse the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, of doing nothing to push the Russians to evacuate the plant.

According to Petro Kotin, the director of the Ukrainian nuclear agency, the IAEA is not showing itself to be firm enough with regard to Moscow for political reasons and because a Russian sits next to its director general.

Charges rejected by the IAEA which insists on its side to access the plant in order to be able to inspect it.

The Ukrainian government refuses, on the grounds that this would amount to legitimizing the occupation of the site by the Russian army.

In addition to the very dangerous situation within this occupied plant, there are growing diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and the IAEA.

► To read also: 

War in Ukraine: in the trenches of Zaporizhia, facing the Russian army

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  • Nuclear

  • IAEA