IAEA chief draws initial conclusions about the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant – Lavrov spokeswoman warned: “Radioactivity does not need a passport”
Created: 09/03/2022 04:46
By: Linus Prien, Patrick Freiwah, Fabian Müller
A group of experts is staying at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant while Ukraine's President Zelenskyy raises new allegations against Russia.
But they also come from the Kremlin.
The news ticker on military events.
Ukraine:
Russia criticizes "Kiev's provocations"
and lack of concern from the EU
Ukraine
: Long
nuclear power mission
?
Zelenskyj raises allegations against Russia.
Nuclear power plant inspection
in
southern Ukraine
: Inspectors have meanwhile arrived at the power plant.
This
news ticker
on
military developments
in the Ukraine war is constantly updated.
Update from September 2, 9:25 p.m .:
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi drew a partly positive conclusion after visiting the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia.
Although damage caused by the shelling of the power plant is obvious and unacceptable, important safety elements such as the power supply to the power plant are working, Grossi said on Friday evening after returning from Ukraine at Vienna Airport.
The cooperation between the Russian occupiers and the Ukrainian personnel also works to some extent on a professional level.
His greatest concern remains that the nuclear power plant could be severely damaged by further shelling.
War in Ukraine: Russian positions near Zaporizhia nuclear power plant are shelled
Update from September 2, 9:13 p.m .:
Ukraine fired on Russian artillery positions not far from the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant occupied by Moscow’s troops.
"It has been confirmed that our troops in the area of the towns of Cherson and Enerhodar destroyed three enemy artillery systems with precise hits," the Ukrainian General Staff report said on Facebook on Friday evening.
An ammunition depot and at least one company of the Russian army were also said to have been destroyed.
According to the information, the Russian occupiers removed all military technology from the site of the nuclear power plant before the group of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived.
This had been moved to the neighboring towns.
The information could not be independently verified.
Russia has always maintained that it has no heavy weapons stationed at the nuclear power plant.
Sergei Shoigu: No heavy weapons at Zaporizhia NPP
Update from September 2, 3:10 p.m .:
According to Sergei Shoigu, Russia has not stationed any heavy weapons at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
"I responsibly declare that we have no heavy weapons on the site of the nuclear power plant or in the adjacent areas," said the defense minister in Moscow.
He hopes that the experts at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be able to see this for themselves.
In addition, the Russian side renewed the allegations against Ukraine:
Shoigu accused Kyiv of regularly attacking the nuclear plant's infrastructure with Western weapons since mid-July.
In his speech, which was distributed on the ministry's Telegram channel, he spoke of 29 attacks since July 18.
A total of 120 grenades were fired.
Ukraine, on the other hand, blames Russia for the attacks.
The information provided by the warring parties cannot be independently verified.
Ukraine: Russia criticizes "Kiev's provocations" and lack of concern from the EU
Despite the arrival of international experts, Kiev's "provocations" continued, Shoigu said.
Accordingly, not only the nuclear power plant was shot at on Thursday, but also the way of the inspectors.
In the event of a possible emergency, Kyiv bears sole responsibility.
He expects "objective results" from the IAEA mission, the defense secretary said.
Kremlin foreign office spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had already caused irritation on Thursday with an ambiguous accusation in the matter of Zaporizhia: she mixed the topic with visa sanctions from the EU.
“Radioactive radiation has no passport.
No visa is required to cross the border.
When something happens in Zaporizhia, it's not about visas, passports or borders.
For some reason, the European Union shows little concern about this matter,” said Sergey Lavrov's spokeswoman.
She probably alluded to the dispute over the battles surrounding the nuclear power plant.
Update from September 2nd, 12:35 p.m .:
Ukrainian forces say they have destroyed six ammunition depots in the south of the country occupied by Russian troops.
Five ammunition depots were destroyed in the Kherson region, the Ukrainian military's "South" command said on Facebook on Friday.
In addition, a depot is said to have been destroyed in the city of Melitopol in the Zaporizhia region.
However, as is usually the case: the information cannot be checked independently.
At the beginning of the week, the Ukrainian army launched a counter-offensive in the Cherson region.
The military leadership kept silent about the course of the ground operations.
There is only information about the hits of their own artillery.
Accordingly, in addition to the five depots, two ferry connections used by the Russians were also hit across a river.
The bridges are also still under fire, according to the Ukrainian military.
The ferry and bridge connections are considered strategically important for the supply of Russian forces west of the Dnipro River and have long been a goal of the Ukrainians.
Ukraine and Russia with different ratings - “lies and falsifications”
Update from September 2nd, 11:52 a.m .:
Power plant operator Enerhoatom from Ukraine doubts that the mission of international experts in the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant can help to clarify.
"The occupiers lie, falsify facts and evidence," criticized Enerhoatom on Friday with a view to Russia in the news channel Telegram.
The delegation was also denied access to the facility's crisis center.
Russian military personnel are currently stationed there.
Russia would make every effort to ensure that no facts about the nuclear power plant become known.
Russian soldier near the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is currently located.
© IMAGO/Sergei Malgavko
Update from September 2, 11:30
a.m.: Selenskyj is disappointed with the start of the inspection of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant by experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In his nightly speech, the Ukrainian President accused the IAEA of not having clearly called for the “demilitarization” of the nuclear site, which is under Russian control.
Ukraine: British intelligence claims - Russia's military inefficient
Update from September 2, 10:38 a.m.:
How efficient are Russia's military exercises?
According to British experts, the supposedly weak performance of Russian forces in Ukraine has rendered them useless.
Events like the Vostok-22 maneuver currently being held have not proved effective in preserving the military's capabilities for large-scale, complex operations, according to a UK MoD intelligence update on the Ukraine war.
"Such events are very scripted, do not encourage initiative and are primarily aimed at impressing the Russian leadership and international audiences," reads the published thesis.
The British military assumes that the actual number of participants in Vostok-22, in which allied countries' armies also take part, will be significantly lower than stated by Moscow.
"Russia has publicly claimed that 50,000 troops will be involved, but it is unlikely that more than 15,000 military personnel will participate."
Moscow, in turn, accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign regarding the Ukraine conflict.
According to the British, heavy fighting continued in the south of Ukraine - also in the vicinity of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which was occupied by Russian troops.
Ukraine: Long nuclear mission?
Zelenskyj raises allegations against Russia
Update from September 2, 6:03 a.m .:
After their arrival at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, it is unclear how long the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will stay there.
IAEA boss Rafael Grossi wrote on Friday night in the short message service Twitter that his organization was "here to stay" and to continue to be present.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was trying to end the mission in an unsuccessful tour of the power plant.
Moscow had demanded objectivity from the inspectors.
According to Zelenskyj, Moscow prevented international media representatives from accompanying the nuclear experts.
"Independent journalists.
For the world to see the truth.”
Unfortunately, the "occupiers" would not have let any journalists in, he said in a video address published that night.
When Grossi made a statement in front of the nuclear power plant on Thursday, Russian state television only showed microphones from Russian media.
The IAEA boss later published his own video on Twitter (see update from September 1, 7:45 p.m.).
IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi speaks to journalists as his team of experts prepares to visit the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
© Andriy Andriyenko/AP/dpa
Military keeps up pressure in Kherson: Multiple targets attacked
September 1 update, 8:22 p.m .:
The Ukrainian military says it is keeping the pressure on Russian forces in the southern Kherson region and attacked several targets on Thursday, including bridges over the Dnipro River.
The South Task Force declared: “Our rocket and artillery units fired on three checkpoints, a radar station and two concentration points of enemy forces, weapons and equipment.” And further: “An attempt to build a new pontoon crossing in the Dariivka area was made also destroyed by our fire.”
Ukrainian forces have focused on destroying Russian supply lines, ammunition depots and rear bases in the south for the past two months.
Nuclear authority wants to stay permanently in Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
Update from September 1, 7:45 p.m .:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wants to establish a permanent mission in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
IAEA boss Rafael Grossi said on Thursday evening in a video statement published on Twitter.
Inspectors had previously started their work in the nuclear power plant, which has been under fire for months.
Grossi spoke of a "long-awaited visit".
Russia had shown itself open to a permanent IAEA mission at the power plant.
Kyiv, on the other hand, insists on the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and a demilitarization of the power plant area.
The IAEA mission should represent the first step.
Grossi said on Wednesday that the inspection should initially take several days.
"I just completed a first tour of the key areas," Grossi said in the video.
There is still a lot to do.
Some experts drove back to the hotel in the afternoon, others stayed on the premises for further investigations.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi (2nd from left) and members of the expert group speak to unidentified officials in Zaporizhia.
© Uncredited/International Atomic Energy Agency/AP/dpa
Ukraine-News: Nuclear experts start work on Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
Update from September 1, 5:48 p.m .:
A team of international experts has started work in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
"We looked at a lot today and started the first assessment," said the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, according to the Russian news agency Interfax on Thursday in front of journalists.
"For me, the work begins now."
The experts also want to continue working in the nuclear power plant.
The representative of the Russian occupiers, Vladimir Rogov, said on Russian state television that the inspectors should stay at least until Saturday.
According to Interfax, some experts left the site after about four hours in the afternoon, as did Grossi himself.
Update from September 1, 1:39 p.m .:
After previous media reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) observer mission would not reach the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, contrary reports have now appeared.
The Ukrainian nuclear agency Enerhoatom reported Thursday on its Telegram channel that the observer mission had arrived at the power plant.
The trip serves to secure Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which repeatedly comes under fire in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Secret service voices: Evacuation of the power plant is planned
Update from September 1, 1:30 p.m .:
Russian units are said to be planning to evacuate the staff of the occupied nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia.
This was reported by the Ukrainian publication
Kyiv Independent
, citing Ukrainian intelligence circles.
It goes on to say that the evacuation should be kept secret to avoid panic.
However, the information cannot be independently verified.
View of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia © IMAGO/Sergei Malgavko
Inspection of the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia was delayed
First report:
Enerhodar - The group of experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the southern Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia has been stopped.
According to the governor of the Zaporizhia region, Russian troops fired on the inspectors' route, as reported by
tagesschau.de
.
According to a report by the AFP news agency, access to the power plant was also not possible.
Originally, the head of the IAEA had stuck to the plan to drive to the nuclear power plant.
It was already known at this point that hostilities would take place in the region.
Still, he said: "We will not stop.
We're leaving now."
Ukraine War: Nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia - another reactor shut down
The situation at the nuclear power plant is apparently tense: According to the Ukrainian operator, one of the two operating reactors at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant was shut down on Thursday after a night-time attack.
As the operating company Energoatom announced in the online service Telegram, there was Russian shelling at the plant during the night.
The emergency system was then activated and pile number 5 was switched off at 3:57 a.m. CEST.
Nuclear power plant inspection in Ukraine: trip despite "increased military activity"
Rafel Grossi, head of the IAEA, said on Thursday morning about the situation at the nuclear power plant: "We are aware of the situation.
There is increased military activity.
I've been briefed on this and the risks by the Ukrainian army commander, but we've weighed the pros and cons and we've come this far.
We don't stop."
The 14-strong group of experts headed by Grossi wanted to get an idea of the situation around the nuclear power plant occupied by Russia.
Russian troops occupied the power plant shortly after the start of the Russian invasion in early March.
With its six reactors and a net output of 5700 megawatts, it is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
Before the war, more than 10,000 people worked in the nuclear power plant.
(dpa/AFP/lp)
