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“The occupiers use the peaceful atom as a weapon to intimidate Ukraine and the world,” — Head of the UGCC

August 6, 2022, 19:18 4

The biggest concern for Ukraine and the world is the events surrounding the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which Russians hit twice, damaging the power supply of the nuclear power unit. Today we received alarming news about the possibility of it being mined… The Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, said this in his daily military address on August 6, the 164th day of the unequal battle against the Russian occupier, the battle for the freedom of the sovereign Ukrainian state.

“The occupiers use the peaceful atom as a weapon to intimidate Ukraine and the world,” — Head of the UGCC
Armed Russian military personnel near the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Energodar, Zaporizhia region, on May 1, 2022, AP Photo

“The occupiers use the peaceful atom as a weapon to intimidate Ukraine and the world. I call on all international institutions to respond to such terrorist behavior of the occupier on Ukrainian land!” The Primate emphasized.

Unfortunately, as the Head of the Church noted, the Ukrainian land again shuddered, hit by Russian bombs and missiles during the last day. Many were killed and wounded.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked all Ukrainian men who are fighting for the victory of Ukraine, each in his place. “I am deeply moved when watching many of our boys storm military commissariats and being offended when they are not taken into the army. They feel guilty for being at the home front instead of the front line. I am grateful to all of you, patriots of Ukraine! Be where our Lord placed you, and bring Ukraine’s victory over the enemy closer every day,” said the Head of the UGCC.

It should be noted that on the morning of August 6, the 4th power unit of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant stopped working. It was cut off from the power grid as a result of the occupiers’ attack on the afternoon of August 5.

According to TSN, there is a possibility of the nuclear power plant in Energodar being mined.

The high-voltage communication line of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (the largest one in Europe) is on fire after three powerful blasts. This, however, wasn’t enough for the occupiers, who turned the nuclear facility into a military base. In the evening of the same day, the nitrogen-oxygen station near one of the power units was hit. The Rashists seriously damaged the station and the auxiliary block.

The representatives of “Energoatom” stated that this could cause a fire and leakage of radioactive substances and hydrogen.

The Insider notes that the occupiers might have mined the ZNPP or the surrounding area. They published footage showing Russian military trucks entering the territory of the station and unloading some cargo. The British Ministry of Defense suggests that the Russians use the nuclear power plant as a cover and a staging ground for shelling Nikopol.

“Russian forces are using the nuclear power plant’s protected status to reduce the risk to their equipment and personnel from nighttime attacks by Ukrainian forces,” the statement reads.

This is a direct violation of nuclear security around the world, the head of European diplomacy, Jose Borrell, is convinced. “The EU condemns Russia’s military activities around the Zaporizhia NPP. This is a grave and irresponsible violation of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms. The IAEA must get access to the plant,” he assures.

The other day, the IAEA, the world’s main controller of nuclear safety, announced that it no longer controls the situation in Energodar. And this has nothing to do with the technical aspect. Director of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, says that he is preparing a team to investigate the situation at the ZNPP.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the world to do everything to expel the Russians from the Ukrainian nuclear power plant. In his address, he once again emphasized that the occupiers’ presence at the nuclear facility and transformation of the latter into a military base is an act of terror.

The representatives of “Energoatom” note that the Ukrainian personnel at the station work literally at gunpoint and make every effort to prevent any accidents. According to various sources, up to half a thousand Russian military personnel are currently stationed on the territory of the ZNPP.

On August 6, in the evening, the Russian missiles again hit the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant site and the city of Energodar. They hit the site of the ZNPP directly next to the station’s ventilated spent nuclear fuel storage facility. Apparently, they aimed specifically at the SNF containers stored in the open near the sites of shelling. 174 containers, each containing 24 assemblies of spent nuclear fuel,” the message reads.

It is noted that three radiation monitoring sensors around the SNF ventilated storage casks of the Zaporizhzhia NPP were damaged due to enemy rocket attacks. Therefore, timely detection and response in the event of deterioration of the radiation situation or leakage of radiation from SNF containers is currently impossible, emphasized Energoatom.

The UGCC Department for Information

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