IAEA says no explosives, mines found on roofs at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Friday (August 4) that it has not found mines or explosives on the rooftops of reactors and turbine halls of Ukraine's Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog visited the site for inspection after claims made by Ukraine about the presence of mines.

According to the Ukrainian military, "external objects similar to explosive devices were placed on the outer roof of the third and fourth reactors" at the site.

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But IAEA said that experts "have observed no mines or explosives on the rooftops of Unit 3 and Unit 4 reactor buildings and the turbine halls at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, after having been given access yesterday afternoon".

After repeatedly calling for unrestricted access to the plant, "the team had unimpeded access to the rooftops of the two reactor units and could also clearly view the rooftops of the turbine halls," it added.

The watchdog said that the agency experts saw anti-personnel mines located in a buffer zone between the site's internal and external perimeter barriers on July 23.

It added that after calls for unrestricted access to the plant, "the team had unimpeded access to the rooftops of the two reactor units and could also clearly view the rooftops of the turbine halls".

It also mentioned that it will pursue its requests to visit the roofs of the other four units at the plant.

IAEA head Rafael Mariano Grossi said that "timely, independent and objective reporting of facts on the ground is crucial to continue the IAEA's efforts to support nuclear safety and security during the military conflict in the country."

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Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

The nuclear plant has remained a flash point ever since the war started last year on February 24 when Russia order a "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Russia captured Zaporizhzhia at the start of the war and an attack on March 4, renewing fears that the invasion could result in damage to one of Ukraine's 15 nuclear reactors.

Experts have said that any emergency at the plant could trigger another catastrophe like the 1986 Chornobyl accident, the world's worst nuclear disaster. Experts claim that if the nuclear plant blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl.

Zaporizhzhia is a city in south-eastern Ukraine, situated on the banks of the Dnieper river. The strategically important city is known for its island of Khortytsia and Dnieper Hydroelectric Station.

(With inputs from agencies)

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