The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was informed of the order by evacuation of the town of Enerhodar, where most of the employees of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant of Zaporizhzhia live, the largest plant for the production of nuclear energy in Europe. The plant is located in an area occupied by the Russian army since March 2022 and has long worried the international community due to the numerous attacks carried out in its vicinity.
The Russian-appointed governor of the area has begun to evacuate both Enerhodar and some Russian camps in the area, claiming that the Ukrainian army has intensified attacks in the area in view of the expected and imminent offensive that would aim to recapture it .
The Armed Forces of Ukraine they said that residents are directed towards Berdyansk and Prymorsk, on the coast of the Sea of Azov. The mayor of Melitopol, which is located about 100 kilometers south of Zaporizhzhia and is itself occupied by the Russians, said there were thousands of cars in the city waiting to leave the area, with queues lasting five hours.
In a statement released Saturday, IAEA director Rafael Grossi said the situation in the area of the Zaporizhzhia power plant was becoming “increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous.” In the press release, the IAEA explained that for the moment the staff of the plant are continuing to go to work: Grossi however clarified that there is concern for the workers and their families, given that the situation is becoming “more and more tense stressful and complex.
It is not the first time that the IAEA has shown concern for the plant area. In a report on its inspection last September, the agency said it had verified that the plant had suffered extensive damage due to the war. In particular, a building where nuclear fuel is stored, a structure where radioactive waste is stored and another which houses an alarm system were damaged. In the report, the IAEA called for the fighting to be stopped in a safety area around the plant to avoid damage to the containment structures, which prevent the spread of radiation.
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