UN watchdog warns of imminent risk at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Kyiv: The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency, Rafael Grossi, issued a grave warning on Monday, stating that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine is perilously close to a potential accident due to recent attacks.

Grossi emphasized that while both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of the attacks over the past week, it is currently "impossible" to definitively determine the perpetrators, reported AFP.

Occupied by Russian forces since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022, Zaporizhzhia is Europe's largest nuclear power facility. The plant has been non-operational since the invasion due to frequent shelling attacks. Since April 7, the facility has faced a series of drone attacks, marking the first direct assaults since November 2022.

Addressing the UN Security Council, Grossi urged an immediate halt to these "reckless attacks." He stated, "Though, fortunately, they have not led to a radiological incident this time, they significantly increase the risk at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, where nuclear safety is already compromised."

Grossi's agency has staff stationed at the facility.

He expressed particular concern about an attack that struck the reactor confinement structure, calling it a "very dangerous precedent."

When asked about the nature of the attacks, Grossi highlighted the versatility of drones. "These attacks have been carried out with drones, a device which has a diverse trajectory. It hovers, it circles. And drones 'can be obtained almost anywhere," he said.

Highlighting the strain on the plant's safety measures due to the ongoing conflict, Grossi noted, "Two years of war are weighing heavily on nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," adding that "every one of the IAEA's seven pillars of nuclear safety and security have been compromised."

He cautioned against complacency, emphasizing the looming threat of a nuclear accident. "We are getting dangerously close to a nuclear accident. We must not allow complacency to decide what happens tomorrow," Grossi stressed.

Despite the reactors being offline, Grossi underscored that the risk of a major accident remains very real.