As the Ukrainian counter-offensive prepares, could the security of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant be compromised? This is indeed the fear of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), present in the region around the Zaporijia power plant. “The general situation in the area close to the Zaporijia nuclear power plant is becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous,” declared Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, on Saturday May 6. His concerns are not new: he had already warned that the “safety” of the plant was suspended last April.
Since its capture by the Russian army in March 2022, the complex, located on the banks of the Dnieper in the south of the country, has been almost at a standstill. There is still a contingent of technicians on site responsible for ensuring its security and management. But the bombardments are increasingly numerous around the plant, which increases the risk of a serious nuclear accident, according to the IAEA. Since the beginning of the conflict, the installation has been the target of several shots, which did not cause significant damage. Russians and Ukrainians mutually accused each other of being at the origin of these bombardments, in order to take back or defend the region.
Partial evacuations
Concern is also on the side of the Russians. Moscow has ordered the evacuation of residents living near the plant. A total of 1,600 people, including 660 children, have already been displaced. “They have already been placed in the temporary accommodation center for residents of the frontline territories of the Zaporizhia region, in Berdyansk,” said Yevgeny Balitsky, the local governor installed by the Russian government, quoted by AFP. .
The operation seems to have taken place in a rush since Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol, denounced Saturday on Telegram a too rapid “evacuation”. He described huge queues at the Chongar checkpoint on the road from Melitopol to Crimea. In the region, most gas stations would have run out of gas.
In total, the Russian authorities want to evacuate 70,000 people from localities under their occupation and located near Zaporijia, according to another official of the occupation administration, Andrei Kozenko, quoted by the TASS agency. The exfiltration of the staff of the plant is not yet on the agenda.