On Friday, part of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya was destroyed by a military strike, according to the Ukrainian power plant operator. This caused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to sound the alarm.

– This underscores the very real risk of a nuclear catastrophe that could threaten public health and the environment in Ukraine and elsewhere.

This is what the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said in a statement according to Reuters.

Grossi said he was deeply concerned about the damage caused by Friday’s attack.

One of the power plant’s reactors malfunctioned as a result of the attack. There was also serious damage to the nitrogen and oxygen storage stations.

In addition, it is said that there has been damage to the outbuildings. The company that operates the nuclear power plant, Energoatom, reported this on Telegram.

accusing each other

Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of being behind Friday’s attack.

The nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March. Nevertheless, most are operated by Ukrainian workers.

– There is still a risk of leakage of hydrogen and radioactive substances, and the risk of fire is also high, Energoatom further wrote.

For several months, the IAEA wanted to send inspectors to the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya. Ukraine has denied inspectors access, claiming that a visit would help legitimize Russia’s occupation of the power plant.

Unstable and unsafe

According to Grossi, Friday’s attack was just the latest in a long line of increasingly worrying messages from Zaporizhzhya.

On Wednesday of this week, Grossi said that the situation at the power plant was unstable and unsafe.

– Every principle of nuclear safety has been violated. What was at stake here was serious, serious and dangerous, Grossi said at the time.

– The situation is unstable. “We can’t let that continue,” he added.