On July 15, a Ukrainian drone targeted the car driven by the chief engineer of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), killing him. The ZNPP is under Russian control and is increasingly being targeted by Ukrainian drones, with the object of terrifying the population living close by in the city of Energodar, including those working at the power plant.
The IAEA, which has become increasingly concerned by the attacks, is still keeping mum on naming the culprits in the matter. In a statement issued on July 15 from its headquarters in Vienna, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi warned: “The frequent interruptions in external power show how fragile the electrical grid situation remains for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The plant needs a reliable and stable grid connection to maintain its essential safety and security functions, including in its current shutdown state. The repeated outages demonstrate the need for continued efforts to shore up the off-site power situation, and the IAEA will continue its intensive work in this area.”
In addition, he commented on the recent flurry of attacks on the city and the plant, again without naming the culprits: “Staff of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant continue to work under extremely difficult circumstances. Military activity in Energodar can add to the pressures facing them and their families. This is directly relevant to nuclear safety and the IAEA’s Seven Indispensable Pillars that operating staff must be able to fulfill their duties and make decisions free of undue pressure. Once again, I call for maximum military restraint in the vicinity of nuclear power sites to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident.”
