IAEA's Grossi warns against targeting of Zaporizhzhia staff
"Any targeting of employees of nuclear power plants would constitute a blatant violation of this pillar fundamental for overall nuclear safety and security,” International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Raphael Mariano Grossi has said.
It follows the killing, in a car bomb, of a person, identified by the IAEA as "Mr Korotkyi" on Friday morning in Energodar, where most staff of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant live. The IAEA said Russia said he was "one of the key staff members responsible for ensuring nuclear security" at the plant, while Ukraine told it he was not a staff member any more.
The IAEA said it was "aware of a public statement issued the same day by Ukraine’s military intelligence indicating that this person’s alleged actions after Russia took control of the ZNPP in March 2022 were the reason he was targeted. In addition, the country’s military intelligence posted an image of a destroyed car, and suggested others may also face “retribution".
The IAEA said that Ukraine said that it does not attack civilians. The IAEA said Russia said Mr Korotkyi was "head of the permits bureau" at the plant.
Grossi said the IAEA did not have the "forensic capability or authorities" to investigate such incidents, but one of its seven indispensable pillars for nuclear safety and security said that "operating staff must be able to fulfil their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure".
He added: "Any statements indicating further retaliatory measures - potentially affecting staff of the Zaporizhzhia NPP - would be unacceptable and contrary to the safety pillars established by the IAEA ... any such threats deny staff who are not responsible for the overarching political and military situation the minimum standards of working conditions to do their jobs properly."
"The only way to avert the threat of a nuclear accident with transboundary radiological consequences during this war is to fully respect and adhere to the seven indispensable pillars for nuclear safety and security as well as the five concrete principles for the protection of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," he said.
The six unit Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been under Russian military control since early March 2022. It is located close the frontline of Ukrainian and Russian forces. The IAEA has had experts stationed at the plant since September 2022 as part of efforts to help the safety and security situation.
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