The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports about anti-personnel mines set up between the external and internal perimeter barriers at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant held by Russian armed forces.
On the 23rd of July IAEA specialists still stationed at the power plant “noted mines in a buffer zone between the site’s internal and external perimeter barriers”, as reported by the agency’s director general Rafael Grossi on Monday, the 24th of July.
The report did not mention how many mines were noticed by the team.
The mines are in “closed off zones” inaccessible to the power plant’s staff, said Grossi, adding that the initial assessment suggests “these mines should not affect the site’s nuclear safety and security systems”.
Placement of explosive objects “is inconsistent with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance” and creates psychological pressure on workers of the nuclear power plant, he added.
Last week IAEA reported that its team had performed inspections at the power plant. No mines were found, but the team was not allowed access to the roofs of reactors.
IAEA still has not secured access to roofs of reactors and turbine halls, as mentioned in the latest report.
After it was captured by Russian forces, the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe was repeatedly shelled and disconnected from the grid, creating concerns about a possible nuclear disaster.
The six reactors that generated approximately one-fifth of Ukraine’s electricity have been offline for several months.
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