Nuclear watchdog expresses concern over Chernobyl plant
IAEA appeals for ‘maximum restraint’ to avoid any action that may put nuclear facilities at risk amid Russia-Ukraine conflict
News Service
February 25, 2022
File photo
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed “grave concern” Thursday over the situation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant amid Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.
The IAEA “is following the situation in Ukraine with grave concern and is appealing for maximum restraint to avoid any action that may put the country’s nuclear facilities at risk,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director-general of the Vienna-based agency, in a statement.
“In line with its mandate, the IAEA is closely monitoring developments in Ukraine with a special focus on the safety and security of its nuclear power plants and other nuclear-related facilities,” said the statement.
The IAEA’s statement came after Ukraine announced that Kyiv had lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the country’s north after a fierce battle with Russian forces.
Ukraine’s regulatory body had earlier informed the IAEA that it is maintaining communications with the country’s operational nuclear power plants, which it said are operating safely and securely.
“Regarding the situation at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine has informed the IAEA that ‘unidentified armed forces’ have taken control of all facilities of the State Specialized Enterprise Chernobyl NPP, located within the Exclusion Zone,” the statement added.
According to the statement, the Ukraine regulatory body said there had been no casualties or destruction at the industrial site.
Grossi highlighted that it is of “vital importance that the safe and secure operations of the nuclear facilities in that zone should not be affected or disrupted in any way.”
Recalling a 2009 decision adopted by the IAEA, he said “any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Statute of the Agency.”
On Thursday, the US condemned reports that Russian forces had taken staff of the Chernobyl nuclear waste storage facility in Ukraine hostage and called for their release.
In 1986, an accident known as the world's worst nuclear disaster occurred at the fourth reactor in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, located 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the city of Pripyat -- which was built in the 1970s to house workers at the plant -- in the north of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Russian troops enter Kyiv after taking control of Chernobyl nuclear power plant, says Ukrainian President
India Today Web Desk Kyiv
India Today Web Desk Kyiv
February 25, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy holds a joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 23, 2022. (REUTERS)
Russian troops are closing in on the seat of Ukrainian power after taking control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday.
Zelenskyy also warned that the Russian armed forces would seize Kyiv within 96 hours, bringing a 'new Iron Curtain' down on Europe, the Daily Mail reported.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had said that the Chernobyl exclusion zone and all the structures of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant have been captured by the Russian armed groups.
Some Russian military massed in the Chernobyl "exclusion zone" before crossing into Ukraine early on Thursday, a Russian security source had said, adding that Russia wants to control the Chernobyl nuclear reactor to signal NATO not to interfere militarily.
Russia's defense ministry also confirmed it's in full control of Chernobyl, saying that radiation levels are normal, BNO news reported.
The nuclear plant - the site of the world's worst nuclear accident - lies 130 kilometers north of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry tweeted saying that a Russian attack on Ukraine could “cause another ecological disaster.”
Amid Russian military operations, the Ukrainian President is creating an anti-Russia coalition against President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, the Ukranian army provided 10,000 assault rifles to locals to defend the country, Kyiv media reported on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy holds a joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 23, 2022. (REUTERS)
Russian troops are closing in on the seat of Ukrainian power after taking control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday.
Zelenskyy also warned that the Russian armed forces would seize Kyiv within 96 hours, bringing a 'new Iron Curtain' down on Europe, the Daily Mail reported.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had said that the Chernobyl exclusion zone and all the structures of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant have been captured by the Russian armed groups.
Some Russian military massed in the Chernobyl "exclusion zone" before crossing into Ukraine early on Thursday, a Russian security source had said, adding that Russia wants to control the Chernobyl nuclear reactor to signal NATO not to interfere militarily.
Russia's defense ministry also confirmed it's in full control of Chernobyl, saying that radiation levels are normal, BNO news reported.
The nuclear plant - the site of the world's worst nuclear accident - lies 130 kilometers north of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry tweeted saying that a Russian attack on Ukraine could “cause another ecological disaster.”
Amid Russian military operations, the Ukrainian President is creating an anti-Russia coalition against President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, the Ukranian army provided 10,000 assault rifles to locals to defend the country, Kyiv media reported on Friday.
CNN reporter explains the likely reason Russia wants to seize control of Chernobyl site
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On Thursday's edition of CNN's "The Lead," correspondent Matthew Chance explained the likely reason why Russian forces are moving on the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant — the location of the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history.
"Do we have any idea why Russia might want control of Chernobyl?" asked anchor Jake Tapper. "Is it just another piece of territory, or is there something more to it than that?"
"I've been they thinking about that a little bit and it's difficult to say. But the obvious answer is the geographical location of it," said Chance. "It's not far from Kyiv, but it's also on the border of Belarus, so it's a bit of open territory which even though it's contaminated terribly of course still with radioactive material, it is territory that gives access to Ukraine from the north, from Belarus. There was also a lot of speculation in the Russian media particularly before this invasion happened that Chernobyl could be a potentially dangerous place where an ecological disaster could be sparked."
"Ukrainians have been expressing their concern about that as well," continued Chance. "That's why I said it was so terrifying that it's a potentially dangerous military confrontation around that nuclear reactor, which is currently housed in a sarcophagus made out of concrete to try to limit any further damage that could be caused by it. Of course, if it does become the focus of a strong military confrontation between these two armies, that could kick up all sorts of horrific radioactive material and, you know, cause that massive catastrophe to repeat itself all over again. I think probably it's fair to say neither side wants that."
Watch below:
Matthew Chance explains why Russia is seizing the Chernobyl site
On Thursday's edition of CNN's "The Lead," correspondent Matthew Chance explained the likely reason why Russian forces are moving on the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant — the location of the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history.
"Do we have any idea why Russia might want control of Chernobyl?" asked anchor Jake Tapper. "Is it just another piece of territory, or is there something more to it than that?"
"I've been they thinking about that a little bit and it's difficult to say. But the obvious answer is the geographical location of it," said Chance. "It's not far from Kyiv, but it's also on the border of Belarus, so it's a bit of open territory which even though it's contaminated terribly of course still with radioactive material, it is territory that gives access to Ukraine from the north, from Belarus. There was also a lot of speculation in the Russian media particularly before this invasion happened that Chernobyl could be a potentially dangerous place where an ecological disaster could be sparked."
"Ukrainians have been expressing their concern about that as well," continued Chance. "That's why I said it was so terrifying that it's a potentially dangerous military confrontation around that nuclear reactor, which is currently housed in a sarcophagus made out of concrete to try to limit any further damage that could be caused by it. Of course, if it does become the focus of a strong military confrontation between these two armies, that could kick up all sorts of horrific radioactive material and, you know, cause that massive catastrophe to repeat itself all over again. I think probably it's fair to say neither side wants that."
Watch below:
Matthew Chance explains why Russia is seizing the Chernobyl site
Chernobyl no-go zone targeted as Russia invades Ukraine
A senior American intelligence official said the U.S. believes Russian forces at Chernobyl were aiming to push to Kyiv, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the plant, to try to link with other Russian forces throughout Ukraine. The officials were not authorized to be publicly named discussing the sensitive matter.
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, a 2,600-square-kilometer (1,000-square-mile) zone of forest surrounding the shuttered plant, lies between the Belarus-Ukraine border and the Ukrainian capital.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian officers fought to defend it, “so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated.” He called it a “declaration of war against the whole of Europe.”
Adviser Podolyak said that after an “absolutely senseless attack ... it is impossible to say that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe.” He warned that Russian authorities could blame Ukraine for damage to the site or stage provocations from there.
Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashenko warned that any attack on the waste repository could send radioactive dust over “the territory of Ukraine, Belarus and countries of the EU.”
Russian officials, who have revealed little of their operations in Ukraine and not revealed their goals, did not publicly comment on the battle.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it is following the situation in Ukraine “with grave concern” and appealed for maximum restraint to avoid any action that may put Ukraine’s nuclear facilities at risk.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the IAEA’s general director, said Ukraine has informed the Vienna-based agency that ”unidentified armed forces” have taken control of all facilities at the plant and that there had been no casualties or destruction at the industrial site. Grossi said it is “of vital importance that the safe and secure operations of the nuclear facilities in that zone should not be affected or disrupted in any way.″
Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington, said, “I can’t imagine how it would be in Russia’s interest to allow any facilities at Chernobyl to be damaged.”
In an interview, Lyman said he is most worried about spent fuel stored at the site, which has not been active since 2000. If the power to cooling pumps is disrupted or fuel-storage tanks are damaged, the results could be catastrophic, he said.
Reactor No. 4 at the power plant exploded and caught fire deep in the night on April 26, 1986, shattering the building and spewing radioactive material high into the sky.
Soviet authorities made the catastrophe even worse by failing to tell the public what had happened, angering European governments and the Soviet people. The 2 million residents of Kyiv weren’t informed despite the fallout danger, and the world learned of the disaster only after heightened radiation was detected in Sweden.
The building containing the exploded reactor was covered in 2017 by an enormous shelter aimed at containing radiation still leaking from the accident. Robots inside the shelter work to dismantle the destroyed reactor and gather up the radioactive waste.
It’s expected to take until 2064 to finish dismantling the reactors. Ukraine decided to use the deserted zone as the site for its centralized storage facility for spent fuel from the country’s other remaining nuclear power plants.
Germany’s vice chancellor and economy minister, Robert Habeck, told The Associated Press that Russia would not need to obtain nuclear material from Chernobyl if it wanted to use it for any purpose, because it has enough such material of its own.
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Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant and Matthew Daly in Washington, James LaPorta in Boca Raton, Florida, Angela Charlton in Paris and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed.
By JIM HEINTZ
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A Soviet-era top secret object Duga, an over-the-horizon radar system once used as part of the Soviet missile defense early-warning radar network, seen behind a radioactivity sign in Chernobyl, Ukraine, on Nov. 22, 2018. Among the most worrying developments on an already shocking day, as Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, was warfare at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, where radioactivity is still leaking from history's worst nuclear disaster 36 years ago. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — It was among the most worrying developments on an already shocking day, as Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday: warfare at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, where radioactivity is still leaking from history’s worst nuclear disaster 36 years ago.
Russian forces took control over the site after a fierce battle with Ukrainian national guards protecting the decommissioned plant, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told The Associated Press. The condition of the plant’s facilities, a confinement shelter and a repository for nuclear waste is unknown, he said.
An official familiar with current assessments said Russian shelling hit a radioactive waste repository at Chernobyl, and an increase in radiation levels was reported. The increase could not be immediately corroborated.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — It was among the most worrying developments on an already shocking day, as Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday: warfare at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, where radioactivity is still leaking from history’s worst nuclear disaster 36 years ago.
Russian forces took control over the site after a fierce battle with Ukrainian national guards protecting the decommissioned plant, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told The Associated Press. The condition of the plant’s facilities, a confinement shelter and a repository for nuclear waste is unknown, he said.
An official familiar with current assessments said Russian shelling hit a radioactive waste repository at Chernobyl, and an increase in radiation levels was reported. The increase could not be immediately corroborated.
A senior American intelligence official said the U.S. believes Russian forces at Chernobyl were aiming to push to Kyiv, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the plant, to try to link with other Russian forces throughout Ukraine. The officials were not authorized to be publicly named discussing the sensitive matter.
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, a 2,600-square-kilometer (1,000-square-mile) zone of forest surrounding the shuttered plant, lies between the Belarus-Ukraine border and the Ukrainian capital.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian officers fought to defend it, “so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated.” He called it a “declaration of war against the whole of Europe.”
Adviser Podolyak said that after an “absolutely senseless attack ... it is impossible to say that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe.” He warned that Russian authorities could blame Ukraine for damage to the site or stage provocations from there.
Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashenko warned that any attack on the waste repository could send radioactive dust over “the territory of Ukraine, Belarus and countries of the EU.”
Russian officials, who have revealed little of their operations in Ukraine and not revealed their goals, did not publicly comment on the battle.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it is following the situation in Ukraine “with grave concern” and appealed for maximum restraint to avoid any action that may put Ukraine’s nuclear facilities at risk.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, the IAEA’s general director, said Ukraine has informed the Vienna-based agency that ”unidentified armed forces” have taken control of all facilities at the plant and that there had been no casualties or destruction at the industrial site. Grossi said it is “of vital importance that the safe and secure operations of the nuclear facilities in that zone should not be affected or disrupted in any way.″
Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington, said, “I can’t imagine how it would be in Russia’s interest to allow any facilities at Chernobyl to be damaged.”
In an interview, Lyman said he is most worried about spent fuel stored at the site, which has not been active since 2000. If the power to cooling pumps is disrupted or fuel-storage tanks are damaged, the results could be catastrophic, he said.
Reactor No. 4 at the power plant exploded and caught fire deep in the night on April 26, 1986, shattering the building and spewing radioactive material high into the sky.
Soviet authorities made the catastrophe even worse by failing to tell the public what had happened, angering European governments and the Soviet people. The 2 million residents of Kyiv weren’t informed despite the fallout danger, and the world learned of the disaster only after heightened radiation was detected in Sweden.
The building containing the exploded reactor was covered in 2017 by an enormous shelter aimed at containing radiation still leaking from the accident. Robots inside the shelter work to dismantle the destroyed reactor and gather up the radioactive waste.
It’s expected to take until 2064 to finish dismantling the reactors. Ukraine decided to use the deserted zone as the site for its centralized storage facility for spent fuel from the country’s other remaining nuclear power plants.
Germany’s vice chancellor and economy minister, Robert Habeck, told The Associated Press that Russia would not need to obtain nuclear material from Chernobyl if it wanted to use it for any purpose, because it has enough such material of its own.
___
Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant and Matthew Daly in Washington, James LaPorta in Boca Raton, Florida, Angela Charlton in Paris and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed.
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