KURCHATOV, August 27. A nuclear power plant should in no way be the target of military operations and no party can use it for military purposes, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said after his visit to Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant.
He said the reason for his visit to the plant was the proximity to the war effort and the danger of a nuclear incident.
Operation of the power plant
The operation of the Kursk nuclear power plant is very close to normal, he said. During a tour of the plant, Grossi said he saw signs of drone attacks. The IAEA chief said he had the opportunity to visit key units of the plant, such as the turbine hall, equipment hall and spent nuclear fuel storage.
Risk of nuclear incident
The plant should not be involved in military operations in any case, nor should any party use it for military purposes, Grossi said. The plant's security systems must be fully operational, he added.
Grossi said his visit to the Kursk nuclear plant was prompted by the proximity of military operations. There is now a danger of a nuclear incident at the plant, he said.
"Dirty Bomb"
IAEA observers are present at all of Ukraine's nuclear facilities and, according to Grossi, have seen no leaks of radioactive materials that could be used to make a "dirty bomb."
Rosatom statement
The IAEA has been shown the results of the Ukrainian attacks on the plant, said Alexei Likhachev, director general of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
"There can be no confusion as to who carried out these strikes and where it came from," He said.
The IAEA has promised an immediate response to any acts of aggression against the Zaporozhye and Kursk nuclear power plants, the executive director said.
Likhachev said that Rosatom would do everything possible to ensure that the first reactor of the second phase of the Kursk NPP would be launched this year.
TASS / gnews.cz-roz