IAEA: Monitors examining more of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, still not been let on reactor roofs

Monitors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited more parts of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear plant over July 5-6, the organization's head Rafael Grossi said in a press conference in Japan on July 7.

The delegation has also requested to visit the roofs of the plants nuclear reactors, a request which has not been granted by Russia so far.

On July 4, Ukraine's General Staff had reported to have observed the placement of objects resembling explosives on the roofs of Reactors 3 and 4 of the plant.

The report came two weeks after after President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov both said that Russia had rigged the plant with explosives and was prepared to commit an act of nuclear terrorism at any time.

Fears were further stoked when Renat Karchaa, representative of Russian state nuclear energy agency Rosatom, accused Kyiv of planning its own attack on the plant, putting forward several outlandish and unsubstantiated theories of attack with missiles, drones, or a Ukrainian dirty bomb.

With five of the six reactors at the plant currently in cold shutdown mode and one in warm shutdown, the threat of a sudden nuclear disaster caused by conventional explosives is low, Ukrainian scientist Mark Zhelezniak told the Kyiv Independent.

Still, Ukrainian authorities in nearby areas have begun drills and evacuation plans for residents in areas surrounding the plant in preparation for such an incident.

On the edge of disaster: What could really happen if Russia destroys Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?

In late June, 16 months into the full-scale Russian invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky alerted his nation of an unprecedented threat. Russia, the president said, had rigged the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with explosives, and was ready to set off the charges and cause radiation to…

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell