Ukraine: An Ukrainian official has stated that Russia has caused “mad panic” by evacuating a town close to the contested Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Russia has instructed individuals to vacate 18 settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region, including Enerhodar, which is near the power plant, ahead of an expected Ukrainian assault.
The Ukrainian mayor of Melitopol, Mr. Ivan Fedorov, reported that thousands of cars were stuck in five-hour waits as people fled. The UN’s nuclear watchdog has warned of a “severe nuclear accident.” Mr. Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warned that the situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant was “increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous.”
The agency expressed concern about the “tense, stressful, and difficult conditions” for plant personnel and their families. IAEA experts at the facility received information that the evacuation of residents from the nearby town of Enerhodar, where most of the plant’s personnel reside, had begun.
On social media, the Russian-installed regional head, Mr. Yevgeny Balitsky, stated that “in the last few days, the adversary has intensified shelling of settlements close to the front line.” Balitsky ordered the evacuation of “children and parents, elderly individuals, disabled persons, and hospital patients” first.
The IAEA has previously issued warnings about the plant’s safety after shelling caused power outages, and in March, it cautioned that the plant was relying on diesel generators to keep critical cooling systems operational due to damage to power lines.
According to the agency, the number of personnel at the plant has decreased since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, but site management has assured that it is sufficient for the plant’s safe operation. Russian forces currently control most of the Zaporizhzhia region but not the regional capital, Zaporizhzhia, which is located just northeast of Enerhodar across the Dnipro reservoir.
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