https://tass.com/politics/1416677

IAEA general director says no radiation leaked at Zaporozhskaya NPP in Ukraine

VIENNA, March 4. /TASS/. International Atomic Energy Agency’s Director General Rafael Grossi said no radiation leaked at the Zaporozhskaya NPP in Ukraine after a "projectile hit" a building on its site. The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier all systems were operational at the plant, which is controlled by Russian troops and where Ukrainian saboteurs attempted a provocation.

"All the safety systems of the six reactors at the plant were not affected at all, and there has been no release of radioactive material," Grossi said at a news conference in Vienna.

He also said two people who were the plant’s security personnel were injured in the incident that he mentioned.

Grossi also stated that the "projectile came from the Russian forces."

The IAEA is ready to provide support to Ukraine on the ground to supervise the security of the Ukrainian NPP, Grossi said, adding he was prepared to Chernobyl for that purpose.

"Ukraine sent a request for immediate assistance to us," he said. "Bearing in mind what is happening and the risks we may incur if all this continues, I have indicated to both Russia and Ukraine that I am ready to go to Chernobyl as soon as possible."

"If we are to extend assistance we have to be there, and the first to be there must be the head of the IAEA," Grossi said.

This wouldn’t be a political step in the crisis, the IAEA head said. The IAEA presence should create conditions for the Ukrainian government and Russia’s armed forces to avoid violations of the IAEA principles, he said

Early on Friday, a fire broke out at the Zaporozhskaya NPP’s training facility. Ukraine’s firefighters said the fire originated at the training center, rather than the buildings that house the reactors. The fire was put out by 7:20 am and there were no casualties, the firefighters said. Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Friday that a Ukrainian subversion group attempted a provocation near the site of the Zaporozhskaya nuclear power plant. The saboteurs, he said, opened fire at a Russian patrol that guarded the area, which in return destroyed the attackers’ positions. The saboteurs set the building on fire as they left, he said.

The IAEA earlier said that Ukraine notified the agency about the loss of control over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which was seized by Russian troops, and about the transition of territory around the Zaporozhskaya nuclear power plant to their control. Shelling of nuclear waste storage facilities in Kiev and near Kharkov was also reported, the IAEA said. Currently, there is no threat of radiation spread.

On Thursday, the IAEA Board of Governors by a majority vote adopted a resolution condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine and demanded an end to actions against Ukrainian nuclear facilities. Russian Permanent Representative in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov disagreed with the resolution, calling it a mistake.