The head of the IAEA called attacks on nuclear power plant personnel unacceptable.
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, declared the inadmissibility of attacks on nuclear power plant personnel and called for their permanent protection. Grossi's statement, timed to coincide with the attacks in Energodar, including the death of an employee of the Zaporizhia NPP, was published on the organization's website on June 19.
"Nuclear power plant personnel must be protected at all times. They do important work to ensure nuclear safety and reliability, often in extremely difficult conditions, and should never be targeted," he said.
It is also reported that on the same day, a local ceasefire was introduced to begin repairing the main 750 kV Dneprovskaya power transmission line supplying the NPP. This line is important for cooling the plant's six shut-down reactors and spent fuel.
"The start of these repairs is a significant step towards ensuring nuclear safety and our efforts to prevent a nuclear accident. The restoration of the 750 kV line will provide the Zaporizhia NPP with a more reliable external power supply and reduce its current vulnerability," Grossi emphasized.
It is also specified that the IAEA specialists are monitoring the progress of work from both banks of the Dnieper River. At the same time, while monitoring the repair, the agency's experts repeatedly recorded the appearance of unidentified drones, which caused the groups to leave the work area several times. There are also reports of ongoing military activity in the area of Energodar, where members of the mission twice observed thick smoke.
A massive attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on the NPP became known on the morning of the same day. The territory of the facility was attacked by heavy drones. The events forced the management of the station to temporarily reduce the number of its employees, as the shift shift took place under fire.
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, commented on the incident and its consequences in a conversation with Izvestia on June 19. He pointed to the West's indifference to Kiev's actions.
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