generalspeaking: Urging Demilitarization of Ukraine's Nuclear Plant

Sunday, September 04, 2022

Urging Demilitarization of Ukraine's Nuclear Plant

"Putin is now one rocket away from causing a much bigger tragedy at Zaporizhzhia."
"The only way to prevent this is an internationally enforced safe zone now."
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis

"The whole world watched him [Renat Karchas, Russian nuclear expert] conduct a tour for the IAEA mission to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant] misinforming at every turn."
Ukraine's energy minister German Galushchenko

"We believe it was important for the agency to be there permanently.The difference between being there and not being there is like day and night."
"Now, when there is an allegation that something has happened at the plant, you can turn to us."
"It is clear that those who have these military aims know very well that the way to cripple or to do more damage is not to look into the reactors which are enormously sturdy and robust."
"Our team on the ground received direct, fast and reliable information about the latest significant development affecting the plant’s external power situation, as well as the operational status of the reactors."
IAEA Director, Rafael Mariano Grossi

Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency getting ready to inspect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Wednesday.

Credit...Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times

Finally, the IAEA team was able to reach the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. The inspectors were shown around the complex by a Russian handler appointed by the Kremlin to advise and inform the IAEA inspectors. Primarily he informed them that a rocket turned 180 degrees before impacting close to the nuclear power plant; therefore the rocket hadn't been fired from Russian-held territory.

An online video showed his gestures describing the missile's purported sharp direction alteration when inspectors challenged his version of he shelling's origins. "It fled from here and this is the direction of Nikopol", Karchas the nuclear expert reiterated while escorting the delegation. "It did a U-turn. In principle, it landed and spun around."

The rocket, in very fact, appeared to have been fired at the Russian-occupied nuclear facility from the opposite direction, from territory held by Moscow's invasion forces. "Everyone working in the plant knows [the rocket] is Russian", a former employee of the plant said. "It cannot fly and make a U-turn."

And then, there is the added verification of Russia's defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, who explained that his forces "do not have heavy weapons in the area of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant". Without, it should be noted, blinking or blushing, as his nose began itching intolerably. Both Ukraine and Russia engage in counter-blaming one another of shelling the plant for propaganda purposes, in the threat of nuclear disaster.

But it is not Ukraine that has stored munitions in the vicinity of the most sensitive areas of the plant complex. Fears of an imminent nuclear disaster were allayed somewhat with the arrival of the safety inspectors from the IAEA after weeks of negotiations to permit and expedite their arrival. Although concerns of attacks on the plant remain, the IAEA confirmed it planned to remain on site.

Ukrainians fleeing from Russian-occupied villages around Kherson as shelling continues around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Credit...Lynsey Addario for The New York Times

Of the 14 IAEA inspectors who arrived on Thursday, six would remain behind, with another two to remain "on a permanent basis". Rafael Grossi, head of the nuclear UN watchdog, warned the integrity of the facility had been "violated". Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the IAEA to support "demilitarization" of the plant. "This is key to protecting all of us, all Europeans, from a radiation disaster".