Europe 1 with AFP 4:56 p.m., August 06, 2022
On the 164th day of the war in Ukraine, the European Union condemns "the irresponsible violation" of nuclear security rules by Russia with the military activities carried out around the Ukrainian power plant in Zaporijjia.
One of the reactors was stopped after strikes of which kyiv and Moscow accuse each other.
The European Union condemns "the irresponsible violation" of nuclear security rules by Russia with the military activities carried out around the Ukrainian power plant in Zaporizhia, declared on Saturday the head of European diplomacy Josep Borell.
"The EU condemns Russia's military activities around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. This is a serious and irresponsible violation of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia's disregard for international standards “, he accused in a message on his Twitter account.
Information to remember:
EU denounces Moscow's 'irresponsible breach' of nuclear security
Zaporizhia nuclear power plant reactor shut down after strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday accused the Russian army of hitting "twice the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia" in the south, although Moscow has controlled this territory since the start of the invasion.
"Any bombing of this site is a shameless crime, an act of terror. Russia must bear responsibility for the very fact of creating a threat to a nuclear power plant," he said.
A high-voltage line was damaged in this attack, triggering the shutdown of one of the plant's reactors.
When the plant was taken over in March, the Russian military had opened fire on buildings on the site, posing the risk of a major nuclear accident.
Shutdown of a nuclear power plant reactor targeted by strikes
One of the reactors of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, under the control of Russian forces, has been stopped, the Ukrainian atomic energy company announced on Saturday, after strikes for which kyiv and Moscow accuse each other.
"Following the attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the emergency protection system was triggered on one of the three working reactors, which went out," Energoatom announced in a statement. message on Telegram.
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According to this source, the bombardments "seriously damaged" a station containing nitrogen and oxygen and an "auxiliary building".
"There are still risks of leaking hydrogen and radioactive substances, and the risk of fire is also high," she said.
"The bombardment (...) has caused a serious risk for the safe operation of the plant", continued Energoatom, indicating however that it continues to produce electricity and that Ukrainian personnel continue to work there. .
Ukrainian authorities on Friday accused Russian forces of carrying out three strikes near a reactor at the Zaporizhia power plant in the south, although Moscow has controlled this territory since the start of the invasion.
The Russian army for its part affirmed that the Ukrainian forces are at the origin of these strikes, which caused a fire which was extinguished.
On July 21, Russia had already accused Ukrainian forces of having struck with a drone on the territory of this nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.
kyiv also assures that Moscow is storing heavy weapons and ammunition on the territory of the power plant, which has been occupied since March by Russian forces.