After Russia seized the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the situation worsened, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
About 210 locally assigned technicians and security guards at the nuclear power plant that was shut down nearly two weeks ago have been working non-stop because it was not possible to send new shifts after Russia He took over the facility on Feb 24.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, they have food and water, but their situation is deteriorating.
In addition, the IAEA is no longer in contact with the station’s monitoring equipment.
This equipment enables the IAEA to know that all nuclear materials are in place.
– I am deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation faced by the staff, and the potential risks it poses to nuclear safety, says IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
I ask the forces controlling the facility to ensure that personnel can be changed safely, Grossi says according to France Press agency.
surrounded by russian soldiers
International Atomic Energy Agency Back to Information from the Ukrainian regulatory body responsible for the country’s nuclear power plants. According to the regulator, it is necessary to obtain a replacement and start a new transformation.
Grossi offered to go himself to ensure safety was taken care of.
The BBC said the facility was surrounded by Russian soldiers. A relative of an employee tells the BBC that the Russians cannot guarantee the safety of employees on their way to and from the power plant.
The Chernobyl power plant was the site of the worst nuclear accident ever in April 1986.
After the accident, the nuclear power plant was still operating until 2000 when the last unit was shut down, but the radioactive material is still stored at the plant.
Even if the plant is closed, it still requires constant maintenance. Typically, about 2,400 people work at a nuclear power plant, including scientists, technicians, and cooks.
After the fourth reactor exploded, other reactors continued to operate for a few years, and an entire city, Slavutich, was built to house the workers, according to BBC.
Under normal circumstances, employees go to work at the nuclear power plant, and then return home to Slavutich, but after the Russian troops took over, everything changed.
Employees who were at work at the time of the accident were forced to stay at the nuclear power plant.
Last week was the largest nuclear power plant in EuropeZaporizhia, was hit by a Russian shell.
No radioactive emissions were recorded after the accident, but Grossi was clearly serious about the situation.
– We had a situation last night that could have been tragic. We won’t wait for that to happen. That is why I want to invite the parties to negotiations. Grossi said at the time that it would happen in Chernobyl quickly.
Claims officials are being tortured
Russian forces claim to have full control of the nuclear power plant, writes BBC.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushenko claimed in his Facebook profile that Russian forces are holding employees of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant hostage.
According to the minister, employees will be tortured and used to film footage used as pro-Russian propaganda.
The employees are said to have been held hostage for four days at the facility, according to Halyushenko, which now also houses about 500 Russian soldiers, according to the minister.
Russia, for its part, claims that its employees are working as usual, and that the Ukrainian soldiers defending the facility have given up their weapons and been released.
The allegations of Russia and Ukraine have not been independently confirmed.
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