The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has suddenly lost contact with the monitoring systems of guarantees at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant seized by Russia.
The agency and Adviser to the Head of the President’s Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, reported it.
“At the moment, no one understands what is happening in Chernobyl and what is threatening the region. An extremely dangerous situation” –Podolyak stressed.
МАГАТЕ несподівано втратило зв'язок з моніторинговими системами гарантій на #ЧАЕС. І тому зараз ніхто не розуміє, що саме відбувається в Чорнобилі, хто й чим там займається і чим це загрожує регіону. Надзвичайно небезпечна ситуація.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) March 9, 2022
Operations with nuclear materials at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant have been stopped for the time being. The site contains decommissioned nuclear reactors and radioactive waste facilities. The Regulator says they can only communicate with the nuclear power plant via e-mail.
The statement of the IAEA noted that the Agency Director Grossi is personally ready to go to the ChNPP to receive security guarantees for all nuclear facilities in Ukraine.
The technical staff of the ChNPP – 210 people – have been working non-stop since the moment of capture; Russia does not allow them to be replaced. Staff has limited access to water, food, and medical supplies.
Russian Su-30 and Su-35 aircraft are engaged in maneuvers in the no-fly zone over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and are shelling from there. Therefore, Ukrainian troops can not shoot back - because the downing of the aircraft over a nuclear power plant can lead to an environmental disaster.