Dhe Ukraine accuses Russia of creating significant dangers through “irresponsible and unprofessional action” in the vicinity of the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor. This endangers nuclear safety not only in Ukraine, but also “for hundreds of millions of Europeans,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk wrote on social media. She reiterated Kiev’s call for demilitarization of the exclusion zone established around the nuclear power plant after the 1986 nuclear disaster. In the first days of the war, Russian troops occupied the Chernobyl site, which was on the way to their advance towards Kyiv. The last reactor there has been shut down for years, but a spent fuel storage facility is still in operation.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly voiced its concerns that the personnel at the nuclear facility would not be able to act independently and unhindered. The shift in Chernobyl, which was surprised by the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and the occupation of the site, was able to change after just under a month. But the new team has also been in action for more than a week without interruption, reported IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi at the weekend. The IAEA is concerned that overtired and stressed staff may be prone to error.
Data connection shut down
Adding to the concern is that Russian troops last week shelled and then occupied the village of Slavutych, where many of Chernobyl’s personnel live. The village was built in 1986 outside the restricted area for nuclear power plant personnel. The situation there is being monitored closely, said Grossi. The IAEA chief had suggested meeting with Russian and Ukrainian officials to reach an agreement on the safety of nuclear facilities during hostilities, but so far nothing has happened.
Another concern of the IAEA is that the surveillance cameras at Chernobyl are no longer broadcasting data. This ensures that nuclear material is not diverted undeclared. While the external power supply to Chernobyl works again, the data connection remains shut down. On the other hand, the IAEA has reacted rather cautiously to reports of forest fires in the region and stated that there are currently no nuclear risks. Reports of renewed forest fires have been described by Ukrainian authorities as false. Satellite images currently show no such heat sources, the Ukrainian Civil Protection Service said on Monday.
A nuclear research facility in Kharkiv also came under multiple artillery fire over the weekend. That is why a dud rocket could not be removed near the plant, the IAEA said, citing the Ukrainian regulatory authority. But there is only a small amount of nuclear material with low radiation.