IAEA loses contact with Chernobyl power plant control systems

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency wants to receive from all quarters the “commitment to safety and security” of Ukrainian power plants.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has issued a warning almost two weeks after the Russian military took control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to him, systems that allow remote control of the plant’s nuclear materials have stopped sending him data.

In a statement released TuesdayRafael Croce, president of the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), described the “remote transfer of data from security surveillance systems installed at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.”

The IAEA uses the term “safeguards” to describe technical measures applicable to nuclear weapons and operations, with the aim of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons by detecting the misuse of such materials in advance.

Plant workers in “difficult and stressful situations”

Since the plant was captured by the Russians in late February, more than 200 technicians and guards have been trapped at the site, working for 13 consecutive days under Russian surveillance. The IAEA has asked Russia to allow them to rotate, as rest and standard tables are essential for site security.

“I am deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation at which the Chernobyl nuclear power plant staff will find themselves and the risks it poses to nuclear safety,” Rafael Crozi warned Tuesday.

The remote data transmission is disconnected and the plant can only be contacted by email by the Ukrainian regulator. Rafael Croce reiterated his opportunity to visit the siteOr elsewhere, to obtain from all quarters the “commitment to safety and security” of Ukrainian power plants.

The Russian military has been occupying the Zaporozhye nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine since Friday, where its artillery fire, according to Ukrainians, has caused a fire – which Moscow denies has caused.