IAEA experts detect explosions near Zaporizhzhia NPP

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have detected explosions near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, says Oleh Korikov, Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Ukraine.

According to Korikov, IAEA representatives permanently stationed at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant detected the explosions on July 26 and 27.

Earlier, the IAEA press service reported that the organization’s experts had seen several mines located in the buffer zone between the inner and outer perimeter of the plant during their inspection on July 23. The mines were located in a closed area, to which the plant staff has no access.

Ukrainian authorities have long warned that Russia has was preparing some type of provocation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which was seized by Russia in the early days of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Russian side, in turn, has made similar claims.

On July 25, it was reported that power unit number four had been put into “hot shutdown” mode. In response, Ukrainian state-run energy company Energoatom said in a statment, “Such an action is a gross violation of the license requirements to operate the nuclear facility. Right now, the operation of power unit No. 4 of ZNPP should be done exclusively in a ‘cold shutdown’ state.”