Ukraine’s nuclear agency: Russian military are building something at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
The Russian military are building a new object at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, reports the Ukrainian Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate. It isn’t clear what exactly the occupying army is constructing.
According to the nuclear agency, construction is taking place on the site of the spent fuel storage facility, which is one of the seven nuclear objects at the power plant. This violates nuclear and radiation safety standards.
The inspectorate points out that the NPP’s regular staff are not permitted near the construction site.
On November 1, the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (GUR) reported that the Russian military had placed equipment for preventing aerial reconnaissance on the rooftop of Zaporizhzhia NPP’s fifth power unit.
The Russian military occupied the Zaporizhzhia NPP shortly after the start of the invasion. Since then, the plant has been shelled multiple times, both Russia and Ukraine blaming it on the other side. Russia’s alleged storage of military equipment at the NPP has also caused concern. After visiting the plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for establishing a safety zone around the plant.
The Ukrainian GUR believes that the Russians are planning to cancel the current employees’ passes to the NPP. Operational shift workers have to sign or cancel their contracts with the Russian nuclear agency, Rosatom, by November 2; other staff have until December 1 to do the same. Only the operational shift workers have access to the station at the moment. Engineering staff are not allowed into the workplace.
Follow Meduza in English on Twitter to stay up to date.
Meduza survived 2024 thanks to its readers!
Let’s stick together for 2025.
The world is at a crossroads today, and quality journalism will help shape the decades to come. Real stories must be told at any cost. Please support Meduza by signing up for a recurring donation.