ON THE EDGE

UN Watchdog Finds Extensive Damage at Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant

A 14-person UN team visited the site in an effort to thwart a potential accident after Ukraine and Russia accused one another of shelling on and around the reactor.

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has called for the “immediate establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone” around a nuclear power plant in Zaporozhzhia, Ukraine, that has been the site of shelling in recent weeks. A 14-person UN team visited the site last week in an effort to thwart a potential accident after Ukraine and Russia accused one another of shelling on and around the reactor, sparking fears of a Chernobyl-like disaster. The IAEA found extensive damage at the plant. The report says inspectors found Russian troops controlling the plant, and Ukrainian staff operating it “under constant high stress and pressure, especially with the limited staff available. This is not sustainable and could lead to increased human error.” The IAEA did not blame a particular party but described the situation as unsustainable. “While the ongoing shelling has not yet triggered a nuclear emergency, it continues to represent a constant threat to nuclear safety and security with potential impact on critical safety functions that may lead to radiological consequences with great safety significance.”