Radiation emission risk: Russian troops seriously damage nitrogen-oxygen unit at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – Energoatom
ааUKRAINSKA PRAVDA – SATURDAY, 6 AUGUST 2022, 12:47
On 5 August, the Russian occupiers seriously damaged the nitrogen-oxygen unit and the combined auxiliary building at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. There are risks of hydrogen leakage and emission of radioactive substances.
Source: Energoatom, National Nuclear Energy Generating Company of Ukraine on Telegram, The Insider, Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President, on Telegram
Quote from Energoatom: "As a result of the attack, the nitrogen-oxygen unit and the combined auxiliary building have been severely damaged. There risks of hydrogen leakage and emission of radioactive substances persist, the fire hazard is also high.
On 6 August, Zaporizhzhia NPP is operating with the risk of violating radiation and fire safety norms."
Details: At the same time, The Insider notes that Russian occupiers might have mined the ZNPP or the surrounding area.
Publication’s sources on the ZNPP provided information about the suspicious activity of Russian soldiers.
The Insider published a video in which Russian military trucks entered the territory of the nuclear power plant and unloaded unknown cargo.
According to the source, a convoy of military trucks arrived on the territory of the Nuclear Power Plant on 2 August.
The trucks stopped between the 1st and 2nd nuclear power units, and after some time part of the convoy, one car at a time, began to enter the territory of the engine room of the 1st nuclear power unit through the cargo gate. According to this source, the engine room has been mined.
According to another source, there are about 500 Russian soldiers and military equipment on the territory of the station, including armoured personnel carriers, anti-aircraft guns and equipment for radiochemical reconnaissance. This source says that the Russians have mined the surrounding area of the ZNPP.
According to the source, Grad MRLS are placed near the village of Vodyane, located closest to the NPP. Russian mines and ammunition are kept in the immediate vicinity of the power units, under overpasses, and some of the ammunition is stored inside the power unit.
The second source of the publication has no information on whether the power unit has been mined, or whether it is simply used to store explosives.
At the same time, the source noted that Russian Major General Aleksei Dombrovskiy was in charge of capturing the NPP, after which the command was handed over to Valeriy Vasiliev, Major General of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops of the Russian Armed Forces.
Energoatom reports that the Ukrainian staff of the station continues to work even in these conditions and makes every effort to ensure nuclear and radiation safety.
Currently, the station staff is dealing with the aftermath of the damage caused by the Russian strikes on the plant on 5 August.
Andriy Yermak emphasised that the events taking place at the Zaporizhzhia NPP is nuclear terrorism by Russia.
"The entire nuclear industry of the Russian Federation should be sanctioned, and Russia itself should be on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism," the head of the Presidential Office is convinced.
Background:
- On 5 August, Energoatom reported that the Russian occupiers attacked the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP twice that day. Three strikes near the industrial site were reported. The Russian troops hit a high-voltage line.
- Later, the Russian army attacked the nuclear power plant with the multiple launch rocket systems (MRLS), striking near the nuclear reactor.
- Following the attacks on the Zaporizhzhia NPP, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls for strict sanctions against the Russian nuclear industry.
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