The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has gained access to and inspected three to four reactors at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, where explosives were suspected to have been planted, but no explosives were found.
“Russia has finally granted us access to the roof of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and we inspected the facility yesterday afternoon and found no explosives,” the IAEA said in a statement today (April 4).
The IAEA explained that its experts at Zaporizhzhia had access to the roofs of units 3 and 4, as well as the turbine room, and inspected the situation and found no mines or explosives.
On March 4, Ukrainian President Zelensky claimed that Russian forces had planted “explosive-like objects” on the roof of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and called for international intervention.
In response, the IAEA requested access to the site from the Russian side, saying it needed to verify the presence of explosives inside the plant.
The technical operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is handled by the Ukrainian NPP, but the site is managed by Russia, which occupies the area.
On March 25, IAEA resident staff entered the main facilities in Unit 6 – the turbines, turbine room feedwater pumps, condensers and control rooms – to check for explosive materials or heavy weapons, but found nothing that would threaten safety.
However, access to the roofs and turbine rooms of units 3-4, where explosives were suspected to be installed, was not granted, and the IAEA continued to request access.
After about a month, the IAEA was granted access and concluded that no explosives were found.
However, on March 23, the IAEA confirmed that directional anti-personnel mines had been laid on the perimeter of the site, rather than inside the Zaporizhia NPP.
The IAEA noted that the landmines were not accessible to the plant’s operating personnel and were set to detonate in the opposite direction from the plant, 카지노사이트킴 so while they do not pose an immediate risk to the plant’s security, they do not meet nuclear facility safety standards.