Every minute of Russian military presence on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant creates risks of nuclear disaster – Zelenskyy

STANISLAV POHORILOV – THURSDAY, 25 AUGUST 2022, 22:36

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) must be returned under Ukraine’s control as soon as possible, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must be granted access to the power plant.

Source: President Zelenskyy’s video address

Quote from Zelenskyy: "[We] need to return the plant under Ukraine’s control and grant the IAEA access [to the plant] immediately. This [has to] be done in a matter of days, before the occupiers’ actions lead to a point of no return."

Details: The President of Ukraine said that today’s ZNPP shutdown could have led to a radiation disaster if automated safety systems were not activated and the power plant’s staff had not responded promptly. "Russia has put Ukraine and all Europeans in a situation [of] one step away from a radiation disaster," Zelenskyy said.

He is convinced that international pressure is needed to force the Russian occupying forces to withdraw from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Meanwhile, the IAEA and other international organisations, according to Zelenskyy, "must act much faster than they are acting now. Because every minute the Russian troops stay at the nuclear power plant is a risk of a global radiation disaster."

Zelenskyy assured Ukrainians that the government is doing everything within its powers to prevent an emergency at the ZNPP.

Background:

• On 25 August, the actions of the Russian occupying forces resulted in the first ever instance of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant being disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid.
• Local authorities in Zaporizhzhia have held a meeting to prepare for evacuation in case of an explosion at the ZNPP.

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