Russian officials agree to open Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to UN inspectors: report


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Russia has agreed to allow inspectors access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after a period of sharply rising tensions surrounding the state of the facility. 

Russian forces took control of the nuclear power plant immediately after invading Ukraine and have held it since early March. The two sides continued fighting over control of the plant, raising international concern about an imminent disaster. 

Moscow had resisted calls to allow inspectors access to the plant in order to verify that it remained safe, but Russian President Vladimir Putin changed his mind on Friday following a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron. 

Putin said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts would have support from both Russian and French authorities to provide “the necessary assistance,” the BBC reported. 

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“In this highly volatile and fragile situation, it is of vital importance that no new action is taken that could further endanger the safety and security of one of the world’s largest nuclear power plants,” said Rafael Grossi, director-general of the IAEA.

Six power units generate 40-42 billion kWh of electricity making the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant the largest nuclear power plant not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe, Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine, July 9, 2019. Ukrinform.
(Dmytro Smolyenko/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Russia had started to use the power plant as a base from which to launch missile strikes at neighboring cities, once again stirring concern from international authorities about potential nuclear disaster. Some families started to evacuate the area, according to The Washington Post. 

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Ukrainian officials raised concerns ahead of the weekend that Russia might cut off power from Europe’s largest nuclear plant, putting both sides on edge for increased provocation. Russian diplomats submitted a letter to the United Nations accusing Ukrainians of firing upon the power plant. 

https://www.videosprofitnetwork.com/watch.xml?key=019faf0ba059e9646f978d9dc2d65b2e
The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is pictured in the town of Enerhodar April 9, 2013. French public nuclear safety institute IRSN said on December 3, 2014, it had not detected any unusual radioactivity in Ukraine and that the incident at a nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya posed no danger for populations or the environment.

The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is pictured in the town of Enerhodar April 9, 2013. French public nuclear safety institute IRSN said on December 3, 2014, it had not detected any unusual radioactivity in Ukraine and that the incident at a nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya posed no danger for populations or the environment.
(REUTERS/Stringer)

“There is information that the Russian occupation forces are planning to shut down the power blocks and disconnect them from the power supply lines to the Ukrainian power system in the near future,” Ukrainian nuclear power agency Energoatom said in a Friday statement, first reported by Reuters.

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“The potential threat from Europe’s largest nuclear power plant could be ten times greater than the scale of the Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters,” the agency added. 

An exterior view of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is seen in the town of Enerhodar, eastern Ukraine, June 12, 2008. Ukraine's Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said on December 3, 2014, an accident at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (NPP) in southeast Ukraine posed no danger and that the plant would return to running as normal on December 5. Picture taken June 12, 2008. 

An exterior view of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is seen in the town of Enerhodar, eastern Ukraine, June 12, 2008. Ukraine’s Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said on December 3, 2014, an accident at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (NPP) in southeast Ukraine posed no danger and that the plant would return to running as normal on December 5. Picture taken June 12, 2008. 
(REUTERS/Stringer)

Russian officials have completely rejected moves to demilitarize the power plant despite granting access to inspectors. Russia’s foreign ministry said Friday that such a move would only leave the plant “more vulnerable.”

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Russians have also denied keeping any weapons on site at the plant. 

Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report. 



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