Two years ago, during a full-scale military aggression, the russian federation occupied the Zaporizhzhia NPP and continues to illegally control it, thereby carrying out nuclear blackmail of both Ukraine and the entire civilized world. Further occupation of ZNPP will only worsen the already difficult situation with nuclear safety and security at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, said Oleh Korikov, Head of State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine - Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Ukraine.

“For two years, nuclear safety and security at Zaporizhzhia NPP has undergone a very great degradation. As a result of the explosion of the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, ZNPP lost a reliable source of water supply, which is necessary to make up the technological circuits for dissipating thermal energy. The lack of a proper stable power supply and shelling by the russian military lead to periodic blackouts of nuclear power plant. On the industrial site, there are incompetent personnel recruited by the occupation administration from nowhere. At the same time, licensed Ukrainian specialists are not allowed on the industrial site. The level of ZNPP militarization is growing. Technological premises continue to be used by russian invaders as a shelter for weapons, explosives, and military equipment. IAEA missions are of great importance for monitoring the situation and informing, but their functions and capabilities are limited to the invaders”, said Oleh Korikov.

He also stressed that the condition of ZNPP equipment is deteriorating every day. During the two years of occupation, none of the six power units carried out major repairs to the main equipment.

“As a result of the occupation, there is no systematic approach and planned measures for the maintenance of security systems and safety-related equipment. A huge number of planned repairs of the main equipment, from the beginning of the occupation to the present day, have not been completed. We are talking about 75-90% of the equipment and systems on which repairs should have been carried out, depending on the specific power unit. Such work is not planned for 2024. IAEA experts confirm the absence of the required number of spare parts and materials”, - said the Head of SNRIU.

“The technical condition of the ZNPP equipment is approaching the point of irreversibility. The result may be that the failure of one system will provoke failures in the work of others, according to the domino theory. The only option to prevent this is complete demilitarization and de-occupation of ZNPP and its return under the control of Ukraine”, - Oleh Korikov said.