For some time now, concerns have been raised about a potential Chernobyl-style disaster in Ukraine as the situation around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant becomes increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has already warned of the dangers of military operations around the plant, which is now in a part of the region under Russian control.
Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia plant days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of his neighbor in February 2022.
Evacuations Underway Near War-Stricken Nuclear Plant
Reuters reports that the Russian-installed governor of the Moscow-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region has ordered the evacuation of nearby villages as shelling has intensified in the area in recent days.
Additionally, the IAEA director general Rafael Grossi has called for measures to ensure the safe operation of Europe's largest nuclear plant as evacuations are underway in the nearby town of Enerhodar.
The situation has become increasingly concerning as Moscow-installed officials began evacuating people from nearby areas on May 6.
The War's Threat to the Nuclear Plant
An October 2022 Bloomberg report tells us that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been the target of shelling and rocket attacks for months, exposing vulnerabilities that energy suppliers have not yet ordinarily had to think about.
International watchdogs at the time also noted that reactors are typically built to withstand storms, earthquakes, or plane crashes, but up until recently, war was not taken into account.
Also, in October 2022, the Washington Post reported a demand from diplomats to end the ongoing hostilities between the Russian and Ukrainian forces. This demand was to allow UN inspectors to assess the nuclear power plant in southeast Ukraine.
Both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of being responsible for the explosions. António Guterres, who is the head of the United Nations, emphasized that attacking a nuclear plant could have catastrophic consequences and urged both countries to avoid such actions.
Situation Getting Tenser in Russian-Controlled Zaporizhzhia
Rafael Grossi has already urged swift measures to avert the risk of a catastrophic nuclear incident and the resultant adverse impact on people and the ecosystem.
The staff manning the nuclear facility are currently stationed there, but the atmosphere for them and their families has grown increasingly strained.
Furthermore, it is widely anticipated that a counter-offensive by Ukraine in the coming spring could encompass the Zaporizhzhia region, which is mostly under the control of Moscow.
The IAEA has been attempting to reach out to both parties in order to reach an agreement on safeguards to ensure the plant's safe operation. The risk of a nuclear accident in Ukraine remains a concern, and immediate action is needed to avert it.
According to the latest reports from Aljazeera, multiple explosions shook Russian-annexed Crimea, with a pro-Moscow official accusing Kyiv of conducting more than ten drone assaults. At the same time, air raid sirens blared over the whole of Ukraine for several hours overnight.
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