Greenpeace calls on IAEA to deploy observers at Ukrainian nuclear power plants
Nuclear experts from Greenpeace noted that Ukrainian NPPs are under high threat. They call on the IAEA to take more decisive action, in particular, they emphasize the need to deploy observers at Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
This is stated in a statement by Greenpeace, published by The Guardian, Censor.NET reports.
The organization's statement said that the Russian attack on Sunday, November 17, was deliberately aimed at the most important electrical substations in Ukraine, which are critical for the operation of nuclear power plants.
"It is obvious that Russia is using the threat of a nuclear catastrophe as its main military lever to defeat Ukraine. But by carrying out the attacks, Russia risks a nuclear catastrophe in Europe comparable to Fukushima in 2011, Chernobyl in 1986, or even worse," said Sean Burney, nuclear expert at Greenpeace Ukraine.
The group called on Russia to immediately stop attacks on Ukraine's power system and on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to place permanent observers at substations critical to the operation of the country's nuclear power plants.
The Guardian notes that on the night of November 17, Russia fired more than 210 missiles and drones targeting electricity generation and transmission facilities across Ukraine.
Explosions were heard in various cities across Ukraine, as well as near the border with Moldova, where Ukraine's power grid connects to the neighboring country and the rest of Europe.
Although the attacks are not believed to have directly targeted Ukraine's three operating nuclear power plants - Rivne, Khmelnytskyi and South Ukraine - Greenpeace says Russia deliberately tried to increase the load on them by shelling the substations to which they are connected.
Greenpeace adds that in the event of a power outage, Ukraine's reactors have diesel generators and batteries that will provide the necessary power for 7-10 days, but if the power cannot be restored, the consequences could lead to a nuclear disaster.
"The loss of cooling function in one or more reactors will inevitably lead to a nuclear fuel meltdown and a large-scale radiation release," Greenpeace said in its report.
As a reminder, on the night of November 17, 2024, the Russian occupiers carried out a massive combined attack on the energy sector facilities of Ukraine with missiles of various types of air, land and sea-based missiles, as well as Shahed-type attack UAVs.
