Situation unstable: IAEA says shots were heard at Zaporizhzhia power plant

IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant heard loud gunshots on 23 April near the main administrative building where their office is located.

Source: IAEA press service

Details: In addition, the IAEA team has heard explosions and gunshots at different distances from the plant almost every day over the past week.

"What once seemed almost unthinkable – evidence of hostilities near a large nuclear facility – has become an almost daily occurrence and a familiar part of life at Europe's largest nuclear power plant. From a nuclear safety point of view, this is certainly an unstable situation," said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

Despite the regular sounds of fighting, IAEA experts continue to conduct inspections at the plant to monitor and assess the state of nuclear safety and security.

Background:

• On the night of 8-9 April, eight drones were spotted flying just four kilometres from the Pivdennoukrainsk Nuclear Power Plant.
• The Russians occupied the plant on 4 March 2022. Since then, the plant has been regularly on the verge of disaster due to Russian actions.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the proposal for US control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant raises many questions that are difficult to resolve.

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