IAEA: Ukraine's Nuke Safety 'Seriously Jeopardized on Several Occasions'

Ukraine's nuclear safety has been "seriously jeopardized on several occasions" since Russia first invaded Ukraine in February, says Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director-general of the International Energy Agency (IAEA).

"I'm extremely concerned about these developments that were reported to me today," Grossi said of Russia's takeover of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, according to Newsweek. "Just a few days after I presented the seven main elements of nuclear safety and security to the IAEA Board, several of them are already being compromised."

Grossi is set to visit the Chernobyl plant on Tuesday with a team of experts in an effort to prevent an accident while the country is at war with Russia. Russian forces have already taken over the Chernobyl plant — site of one of the worst nuclear accidents in history — and since left.

While there, communications were cut off, and though staff is now back in control Grossi has said monitoring of radiation levels still has not been restored.

Ukraine has requested aid to restore monitoring equipment, protective material, power supply systems and more from the IAEA.

"Over the past two months, nuclear safety in Ukraine has been seriously jeopardized on several occasions," Grossi said in a press release from the IAEA. "So far, the worst-case scenario has been avoided. But we need to intensify our efforts to make sure that remains the case. The IAEA will do everything it can to help prevent the conflict from also leading to a nuclear accident, in addition to the vast human suffering and major destruction it has already caused."

Grossi visited the South Ukraine nuclear power plant last month. He said that the IAEA's presence at Chernobyl is vital to supporting Ukraine's seeking regulatory control of the plant to ensure it operates safely.

"The IAEA knows the Chernobyl [nuclear power plant] very well," Grossi said. "This local knowledge – coupled with our nuclear safety, security, and safeguards expertise – means that we can quickly establish exactly what needs to be done, and how and where."

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