The operator of the Russian power plant reaches out to the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the circumstances in Kursk.
The status of Ukrainian operations in the Kursk region, including potential targeting of the Kursk city and nuclear power plant, remains unclear. As per Russian reports, the reactor is under threat and daily air raid alarms are sounded. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has identified a critical risk to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Russia's atomic agency Rosatom has reported decrease in stability around the Kursk nuclear power plant and the seized Ukrainian plant at Zaporizhzhia to the IAEA. Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev has invited IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to inspect the Kursk NPP and Kursk city to observe the situation personally. According to Rosatom, frequent air raid warnings are issued due to Ukrainian threats. Russian sources also claim discovery of rocket debris on the Kursk NPP site. IAEA had earlier warned of possible hazards to the Kursk NPP following Ukraine's August 6 invasion into Russian territory.
Rosatom and Russian Defense Ministry have suggested indications of Ukrainian preparation for a provocation against the Kursk NPP, without providing specific details. Moscow has warned of severe retaliation if such an incident occurs. Rosatom further emphasized that it's not just a danger to these two plants, but a risk to IAEA's core principles of nuclear safety, potentially causing permanent damage to global nuclear energy reputation.
It's uncertain whether Ukrainian advancement aims at Kursk NPP. Russia has fortified the plant's protection, which lies approximately 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, and temporarily withdrew workers constructing two new reactors for safety reasons.
Zaporizhzhia under constant tension
As per IAEA, the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control in Ukraine, has become severely endangered post a nearby attack. An explosion near the safety zone was caused by a drone carrying an explosive, IAEA experts estimated. "Once more, we witness an intensification of threats to nuclear safety at the Zaporizhzhia NPP," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned. He remains "extremely worried" and calls for restraint from all sides.
Witnesses report that the region surrounding the plant was heavily disputed last week, and there's no indication that fighting has subsided. Damage has been reported near the plant multiple times recently. "Nuclear power plants are resilient against technical or human failure and extreme external influences, but they are not primed to withstand direct military attacks," Grossi pointed out.
The Zaporizhzhia NPP, controlled by Russia since its nearly two-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine, has faced attacks or acts of sabotage on several occasions. Both Moscow and Kyiv accuse each other of these incidents.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been closely monitoring the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, expressing concerns over its security and the increasing threats. Rosatom, Russia's atomic agency, has requested IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to inspect the Kursk NPP and Kursk city to observe the situation personally, acknowledging potential dangers to both the plants and IAEA's principles of nuclear safety.
