Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), led a mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, which was invaded by Ukrainian forces on August 6.
Grossi warned of the danger of a nuclear incident amid the fighting in the region. “The danger or the possibility of a nuclear accident has emerged near here,” he told reporters.
The IAEA visit came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had fired drones at the plant. Kyiv denied the charge, but Grossi said he saw evidence of nearby drone attacks.
“I was informed about the impact of the drones. I was shown some of the remnants of them and signs of the impact they had,” Grossi said.
According to Reuters, the IAEA chief warned that the KNPP was more exposed than most modern nuclear plants because it lacks a containment dome and a protective structure.
“This means that the core of the reactor containing nuclear material is protected just by a normal roof. This makes it extremely exposed and fragile, for example, to an artillery impact or a drone or a missile,” he said. “So this is why we believe that a nuclear power plant of this type, so close to a point of contact or a military front, is an extremely serious fact that we take very seriously.”
Grossi has also previously visited the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, which was captured by Russian forces in February 2022 and has been controlled by Russia since then. IAEA experts are stationed at the ZNPP, and the plant and the area around it have come under frequent Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks.
"more exposed than most modern nuclear plants because it lacks a containment dome and a protective structure" Who fault is that? Chernoby happen in 1986! That was a long time ago. One would think they would have learn by now that is not a good idea.
It was built in the 1970s, well before the Chernobyl accident.
The point isn't that you should protect NPP's against the consequences of attacks, you shouldn't attack Nuclear Power Plants. When NATO through their Ukrainian puppets intend to attack NPP's and cause a nuclear disaster, a containment dome and reinforced roofing isn't going to prevent them from doing so. It might inconvience them slightly at maximum. What prevents them from doing so is the decision not to attack NPP's and implement it.
This is why Grossi is failing grossly in his mission, conforming to their (IAEA's) 7 indispensable pillars and 5 principles, especially the first of both sets, when he declines to identify where and what the actual danger comes from and directs his actions and precautionary measures accordingly.
That eluded our Timmy.
Excellent points. NPP's, especially older ones, were not likely to have been built to "warzone specs".
And as has been demonstrated, one can engineer two or three skyscrapers in the United States specifically to withstand commercial aircraft impacts, but that's no guarantee said buildings can withstand the controlled demolitions that followed such impacts.
Mr. Grossi, who bombed Russian nuclear plants? Mr. Grossi: "It's obviously obvious. The Russians." Mr. Grossi, Why would the Russians bomb their own nuclear plants? Mr. Grossi: "I'm only a liar. I'm not a stupid liar!"
Grossi is a wuss, just a tool of his benefactors in the west….
On second thought, I think by continuing this policy the IAEA maintained at the attacks on the Zaphorizhzia NPP of avoidance of identifying Ukriane as the perpetrator of these attacks, which has been quite obvious already, this might have become simply too transparent with the attack on the Kursk NPP. This obfuscatory messaging policy might in effect have done more to undermine the feigned ignorance than if Grossi were to just state the obvious.
The carefully maintained obfuscation by this policy of the IAEA with respects of the attacks on the ZNPP has been by extention also cleared now.
The IAEA visit came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had fired drones at the plant. Kyiv denied the charge, but Grossi said he saw evidence of nearby drone attacks.
So, you know it's true.As Old Guy said:
Grossi is a wuss, just a tool of his benefactors in the west…
you guys are wild for whining about a nuclear plant not even under any occupation while ignoring the ZNPP under an actual hostile occupation
Occupation is irrelevant. The issue is targeting of a nuclear power plant & whether or not a given NPP can withstand military action.
"…the IAEA chief warned that the KNPP was more exposed than most modern nuclear plants because it lacks a containment dome and a protective structure."
Oh s**t.
“This means that the core of the reactor containing nuclear material is protected just by a normal roof. This makes it extremely exposed and fragile, for example, to an artillery impact or a drone or a missile."
Now I wonder if Kursk and its under-built NPP were chosen by the Ukrainian invaders for just this reason.
https://www.rt.com/russia/603209-trump-peskov-kursk-war/
Trump’s WWIII warning is understandable – Kremlin
"While the former US president’s statements are “alarmist,” they should be taken seriously, Dmitry Peskov has said."
Will Trump have a defense secretary and joint chiefs of staff chairman who will follow orders? The past is prologue.