Russian Forces Mine Perimeter of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, IAEA Reports

Russian forces have mined the perimeter of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and are preventing access to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission, according to IAEA Director Rafael Grossi.

Grossi’s latest report confirmed that anti-personnel mines were discovered in the buffer zone between the inner and outer fences of the plant, in a restricted area inaccessible to station personnel.

Russian officials have claimed that these mines are part of a “physical defense system.”

Grossi also highlighted the ongoing presence of armed individuals, identified as members of the Russian National Guard, along with specialists in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons. Military vehicles, including armored personnel carriers and vehicles equipped with weapons, have also been observed.

“ISAMZ continues to report the presence of armed men…and military equipment such as armored personnel carriers, logistics vehicles, and armored vehicles with installed weapons. ISAMZ reported that the armed forces did not allow it to enter the western part of the turbine halls,” Grossi stated.

Due to this restriction, IAEA experts have been unable to verify whether there are any issues or hazardous materials in the western turbine halls that could affect the plant’s nuclear safety.

The report further indicates that the IAEA mission continues to face “limitations in providing timely and appropriate access to all locations and information related to nuclear and physical security,” potentially impacting the agency’s overall assessment of the situation.

During the period from May 25 to August 30, ISAMZ was denied access to key areas, including the western turbine halls, the isolation gate of the plant’s cooling reservoir, and the 330 kV switchyard.

The report also notes that while IAEA experts were occasionally able to communicate with control panel operators regarding their permissions and experience, in most cases, ISAMZ faced restrictions imposed by the Russian occupation administration at ZNPP, limiting their ability to engage openly with the plant’s staff.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, has been under Russian occupation since March 4, 2022. Russian forces have unlawfully occupied the plant, posing serious and unprecedented risks to the nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine and the entire region.