Russia yet to grant access to Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor roofs: IAEA

Two weeks after initially requesting what it deemed to be “essential” access, Moscow has still refused to permit the U.N. nuclear watchdog to visit the reactor rooftops at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant owned by Russia, Zaporizhzhia, the watchdog said on Thursday.

The largest nuclear power station in Europe, where the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned of a potential catastrophe from surrounding military battles, was the target of accusations of planning by Russia and Ukraine on July 4.

The claims have been investigated by a tiny IAEA team stationed at the facility, but they claim to have found no evidence of wrongdoing thus far.

“(IAEA) experts have carried out additional inspections and walkdowns at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) over the past week – so far without observing any heavy military equipment, explosives or mines – but they are still awaiting access to the rooftops of the reactor buildings,” that IAEA said in a statement on Thursday, its first on Ukraine in a week.

Access to the rooftops of reactor units 3 and 4 as well as some of the turbine rooms were deemed “essential” by the IAEA on July 5. The day prior, “operational data” indicated “explosive devices” had been installed on the rooftops of the two reactor units, according to a statement made by Ukraine’s military forces.

According to the statement released on Thursday, IAEA inspectors have paid reactor units 1-4 a number of visits this month.

“While the IAEA experts saw transport trucks in the turbine halls of units 1, 2, and 4, there was no visible indication of explosives or mines,” the agency said.

“The team has not yet been granted requested access to the roofs of the reactors and their turbine halls, including units 3 and 4 which are of particular interest. The Agency continues to request such access.”

(With agency inputs)