IAEA concerned about loss of communication with systems controlling Chernobyl nuclear materials

During its offensive, Russia took control of the plant, site of the worst nuclear disaster in history.

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Published on 03/09/2022 07:49 Updated on 03/09/2022 10:16

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Systems that allow remote monitoring of nuclear materials at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine have stopped transmitting data, the International Atomic Energy Agency (AEIA) assured on Tuesday, March 8. The plant, site of the worst nuclear disaster in history in 1986, has been under Russian control since the beginning of the conflict.

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“I am deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation in which the personnel of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant find themselves, and the potential risks that this entails for nuclear safety,” warned Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA. More than 200 technicians and security guards are stranded at the facility, working 13 consecutive days under Russian surveillance. The authority asked Moscow to allow them rotation, rest and a fixed schedule, which is necessary for the security of the facility. Faced with this situation, Rafael Grossi reiterated his suggestion to go to the site or elsewhere in order to obtain from all parties a “commitment to the safety” of Ukrainian power plants.

Since Friday, the Russian army has occupied another nuclear facility, Zaporozhye in southeastern Ukraine. According to Kyiv, the plant was set on fire after Russian strikes, but Moscow denies the allegation. The site is “operating normally,” a National Guard official said in a video released by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. “The administration of the facility is doing its job. The situation is completely controlled by the Russian Guard,” he added.

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