The Ukrainian authorities have located this Thursday at least two anti-personnel mines on the path that experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency usually travel to the nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhyain the south of Ukraine.
“The mines have been neutralized, which makes it possible to guarantee the safety of the (IAEA) experts,” reported the commander of the group of strategic-operational troops, Brigadier General Oleksander Tarnavskyon his channel Telegram.
The Ukrainian Government, including President Volodimir Zelenskywarned that Russian troops present at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant could have planted mines and explosives in order to cause a nuclear disaster.
IAEA experts carried out several searches of the facilities without, for the moment, finding any trace of these explosives, although They complain that they do not have full access to the plant. Russia denies mining the facilities.
Last month, UN experts had detected during an inspection that they were located in a restricted area between the internal and external perimeter barriers of the complex and, in principle, out of reach of plant personnel.
“The IAEA has been made aware of the laying of mines outside the perimeter of the facilities and also in specific places inside. Our team has raised this specific finding with the plant and they replied that it is a military decision, and in an area controlled by the military”, indicated the general director of the IAEA, the Argentine Rafael Grossiit’s a statement.
“Having such explosives on site is inconsistent with IAEA safety standards. and the guidelines on nuclear safety and creates additional psychological pressure on the plant’s personnel”, criticized the Argentine diplomat.
Still, the IAEA’s “initial assessment,” Grossi said, is that the detonation of these mines “should not affect the site’s nuclear safety systems.”
The IAEA team has been conducting regular inspections and walk-throughs at the plant without observing so far any heavy military equipment, the statement said.
UN experts are still waiting to gain access to the roofs of the reactors, where the Ukrainian government claims it detected the presence of objects that could be explosive. The IAEA notes that on July 22, its team present at the plant heard several shots some distance from the plant.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the largest in Europe, was the scene of clashes during the early stages of the war, in February 2022. Russia finally prevailed and has controlled the facilities for months.
(With information from EP)
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Source-www.infobae.com