Dhe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has urged Russia and Ukraine to agree on a framework agreement to protect nuclear facilities during hostilities. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi wants to travel to Ukraine in the next few days to mediate such an agreement, specifically to the Chernobyl exclusion zone held by Russian forces. “I’m ready to come,” he said on Friday in Vienna. Grossi made it clear that he was not acting as a political mediator, but solely as part of his mission to ensure the safety of nuclear plants. He is in contact with both the Ukrainian and the Russian side. After returning from his trip to Tehran planned for Saturday, he could come to Ukraine.
Grossi named seven points that are essential for the safety and security of nuclear facilities such as reactors or storage facilities for nuclear waste. These would have to be dealt with in a corresponding framework agreement. The physical integrity of the facilities is paramount. Second, the security systems would have to be kept running at all times. The staff must be able to do their work unhindered. The power supply must be guaranteed. The supply chain must remain open, for example for spare parts. The measuring systems for radioactivity would have to remain active at all times. After all, constant communication must be ensured.
Russia and Ukraine to renew self-commitment
He also presented these points at the emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors. All representatives there would have agreed with him fully (that is, also the Russian one; Ukraine is not represented there at the moment). “Nevertheless, the first point, physical integrity, was violated.” Words should be taken at their word. Therefore, the IAEA wants to act. “We have to do something”. Ukraine had asked the IAEA for direct support, which must be complied with as far as possible.
Read F+ now for two months free of charge and get access to all articles on FAZ.NET.
READ F+ NOW
The IAEA Director-General called for a renewed commitment by Russia and Ukraine to no longer violate the seven principles. “I propose a framework and an agreement so that this never happens again.” Organizing this is not easy, but it is not impossible either. Grossi justified the fact that this should take place at the symbolic site of the Chernobyl reactor catastrophe with “a number of technical reasons”. But it is also suitable “to be more effective in diplomatic terms”.
“We shouldn’t wait for something like this to happen”
Grossi reported on what happened on Friday night at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in south-eastern Ukraine. In doing so, he referred to his first-hand information that his contacts on the Ukrainian side had given him. A projectile hit a building on the site of the power plant. The building is not part of any of the six reactors, but is close to the reactor blocks. A local fire broke out, apparently only in this outbuilding. The fire was extinguished by fire protection at the plant. The reactors and their safety system were “in no way” affected. No radioactivity escaped, the measuring systems continued to function.
Two people were injured in the incident. They were part of the security staff at the power plant. The IAEA chief did not say whether the injuries were caused by the fire or by fighting. He said it was unknown what type of bullet that caused the fire. “As far as we know,” it was fired by the Russian forces. He confirmed that the control room of the power plant and everything that belongs to it is in the hands of Ukrainian personnel, but the area is under military control of Russian troops.
Although the incident did not end well in terms of the safety of the nuclear power plant, it is difficult to endure the current situation unscathed in the long term. “What happened tonight shows that.” Grossi referred to his worried warnings and references to the nuclear dangers in the past few days. “Because of the projectile… we had a situation that could have been dramatic. We shouldn’t wait for something like this to happen.”
There are currently no reports of incidents from the other five Ukrainian nuclear power plants. Also because of Chernobyl there is no special cause for concern, the monitoring and the measuring systems worked. “Right now we have a normal abnormality.” He said he did not intend to send IAEA personnel to Ukraine for support at this time. “First of all, we need a framework agreement. If so, then you could talk about sending people. But I would never send my people into danger.”