IAEA finds anti-personnel landmines on periphery of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency have discovered anti-personnel landmines on the periphery of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) site.

Source: Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency

Details: The IAEA reports that its team saw some mines located in a buffer zone between the site’s internal and external perimeter barriers during a site visit on 23 July. 

The experts reported that they were situated in a restricted area which operating plant personnel cannot access and were facing away from the site. 

It is said that the team did not observe any within the inner site perimeter during the site visit.

Quote from Grossi: "As I have reported earlier, the IAEA has been aware of the previous placement of mines outside the site perimeter and also at particular places inside. 

Our team has raised this specific finding with the plant and they have been told that it is a military decision, and in an area controlled by [Russian] military.

But having such explosives on the site is inconsistent with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance and creates additional psychological pressure on plant staff."

More details: It was also reported that the IAEA is continuing to demand access to the roofs of the ZNPP reactors, particularly to power units No. 3 and No. 4, which are "of particular interest."

Background: Russian occupiers at the Zaporizhzhia NPP have put the plant's power unit into a hot shutdown state, which creates risks for nuclear and radiation safety.

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