The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced that its Director-General Rafael Grossi will visit the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia next week. This development comes as concerns grow over the safety of the Soviet-era facility amidst Ukraine's recent counter-invasion into Russian territory.
According to Breitbart News, the IAEA's visit is prompted by worries that the advancing Ukrainian troops could potentially damage the nuclear plant.
The situation has escalated since August 6, 2024, when Ukrainian forces launched a counter-invasion into Russia, capturing significant areas in the Kursk border region. Ukrainian officials have described this operation as necessary to create a "buffer zone" to prevent Russia from deploying troops into occupied eastern Ukraine. The proximity of the conflict to the Kursk nuclear power plant has raised alarms about the potential for a nuclear accident.
The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, constructed during the Soviet era, has been identified as particularly vulnerable due to its outdated design. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi reportedly warned that the plant's obsolete Soviet reactors lack a special protective dome above them, leaving the reactor core exposed. This structural vulnerability, combined with the advancing Ukrainian troops coming within artillery range, has become a major concern for the agency.
The plant's construction began in 1971 and became operational in 1976, a decade before the Chornobyl disaster. Currently, the facility houses four nuclear reactors and was undergoing upgrades when the Ukrainian invasion occurred. The age and design of the plant contribute to its susceptibility to potential damage from military activities in the region.
Russian officials have expressed concern about the safety of the plant. On August 17, 2024, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on international organizations, particularly the United Nations and the IAEA, to condemn what she described as provocative actions being prepared by the "Kiev regime" and to prevent any violation of the nuclear and physical security of the Kursk plant.
The situation at the Kursk plant adds to existing concerns about nuclear safety in the region, particularly regarding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. The IAEA has been monitoring the situation at Zaporizhzhia closely since Russia's annexation of the area in September 2022. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of planning to weaponize the Zaporizhzhia plant by bombing it.
On August 17, 2024, Grossi issued a statement expressing concern about the escalating nuclear safety and security dangers at the Zaporizhzhia plant. He emphasized the vulnerability of nuclear facilities in conflict zones and called for maximum restraint from all sides. Grossi stated:
Nuclear power plants are designed to be resilient against technical or human failures and external events, including extreme ones, but they are not built to withstand a direct military attack, and neither are they supposed to, just as with any other energy facility in the world.
This latest attack highlights the vulnerability of such facilities in conflict zones and the need to continue monitoring the fragile situation.
The Ukrainian counter-invasion into Kursk has had significant impacts on the region. Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 12 that plans were underway to evacuate 180,000 people from affected areas, with 121,000 already displaced. At that time, Ukrainian forces had penetrated 12 kilometers into Russian territory with a 40-kilometer-wide frontline.
However, recent reports suggest that Russian forces have regrouped and halted further Ukrainian advances. The Ukrainians have reportedly faced challenges training new recruits, with some soldiers reluctant to engage in combat. A Ukrainian battalion commander, speaking to the Associated Press, described the difficulties:
Some people don't want to shoot. They see the enemy in the firing position in trenches but don't open fire. ... That is why our men are dying.
In conclusion, the IAEA's upcoming visit to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant underscores the growing concerns about nuclear safety in the region amid ongoing military conflict. The vulnerability of the Soviet-era facility, combined with the proximity of Ukrainian forces, has prompted international attention. As the situation continues to evolve, the IAEA's inspection aims to assess and potentially mitigate the risks associated with the plant's operation in a conflict zone.
