What's happening at Ukraine's occupied nuclear power plants? | DW News

Since March, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been under Russian occupation. Since late July, the largest nuclear plant in Europe has been shelled repeatedly, with Kyiv and Moscow blaming each other for the attacks. This has sparked fears of a nuclear disaster. Last week, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation without getting any closer to a solution.

It is not the first time in this war that the question of nuclear safety and security has been raised. This is not only about the potential use of nuclear weapons — Russian President Vladimir Putin has openly expressed this thought — but also about nuclear power stations being used as military targets.

Russia has been widely accused of using the plant as a shield from which to launch attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia's actions a kind of "unconcealed nuclear blackmail." Using the plant in this way violates the Geneva Convention, which states that particular care must be taken if "installations containing dangerous forces" are located near the fighting. About 500 Russian troops are reported to be currently at the site. "The facility must not be used as part of any military operation," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement after a meeting of the Security Council last week. "Instead, an urgent agreement is needed at a technical level on a safe perimeter of demilitarization to ensure the safety of the area." So far, no serious damage or radiation release has been detected and there is "no immediate threat" to the safety of the plant as a result of fighting. But "this could change at any moment," International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council on August 12.

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[Ddsggcfg]

Whoever sabotages a nuclear power plant is a crime against humanity. Whether he is Russian or Ukrainian

[ricklee]

The much talked about "Kherson Counter-Offensive by Ukraine" is the shelling of an unarmed Nuclear Power Plant that has no artillery (as you can tell by satellite photos) to launch counter battery attacks. The Right Sector is so brave...

[hizacaine]

Gotta love how one of those missiles fell into a square hole with shovel marks and the other landed exactly in a plumbing stack on the roof. You'd have to be a Russian to believe this is real shelling. The placement of military units in the plant can only be described as a direct threat of nuclear terrorism.

[ferdomravec]

Ah ... we have all been there guys doing the same mistake by placing our units too close to the T3 fusion reactor thinking it would be great buff to power our shield generators. But when that thing explodes most of the units are wiped as well the only thing to do after is to rage quit the match.

[scientist_nick]

Let me guess right after the talks happened Russia started shelling more because Putin is annoyed by Antonio Guteres….

[silverforest]

Ukraine will never surrender. This is a stalemate. Zelensky is a young man. He will outlive putin.

[JBEMultimediamadrid]

Shelling a powerplant you are already occupying? Something is not adding up here

[waynehersel]

Why are you asking me? You're the journalists. Any child can ask questions. Responsible news outlets should provide answers.

[Fishstycz]

It's so simple... Russia must just get out of Ukraine.

[ScienceTalkwithJimMassa]

Here's a thought - how about ALL russian troops leave ALL of Ukraine - Donbas, Crimea, not just the nuclear plant.

[SNOWDONTRYFAN]

Personally apart from the fact that its a UN permanent security member that is deemed as dangerous to the whole world and should be removed from that position, the same position that renders the UN totally unfit for purpose . Ukraine should keep hinting that it indeed intends to remove their very expensive land bridge from Russia to Crimea, which might make the Russians re-think the UN plan of a de-militarized zone around the plant

[isabelmelladojensen]

Why can't DW find out from which direction those rockets are fired from?
How hard can it be?
The rockets are on the ground!
From Nicopol you can see the power plant, why hasn't a surveillance camera been installed to secure the documentation?
Europe's largest nuclear power plant and the satellite images of the firings being hidden away?

[motaghia]

So let me understand this your way, Russians occupy the plant, boobie trap it, put lots of military equipment there and bombing it themselves?
Hm, am I missing something?
I feel like Alice in Wonderland 🤣🤣🤣

[yaroslavromanov]

who controls power plant - russians,
who stores military equipment around the power plant - russians
who is shelling power plant - russians shelling themselves
🤷🤷‍♂🤷‍♀

[alexfortin]

Why is Russia is not allowing IAEA inspection of the nuclear power plant?

[nathanielanderson]

Putin better get his military back across the border.

[femagallanes]

Russia, please get out from the nuclear power plant now! You are putting the life of humanity in danger!

[duncanstewart]

Another 3 month extension of the 'state of emergency' in Ukraine suggests a willingness and capacity to carry on to November.

[vinm]

Russia doesn't abide by civilized rules. They recognise their behaviour
is beyond the pale of humanity, and dare not speak about it.
Let me give you an example :-
A 17yr old Chechen girl was abducted gang-raped and murdered.
It was so horrendous even the Russians had to bring a prosecution.
But Colonel Yuri Budanov, was only charged with murder, not gang rape
(rape remains unmentionable)
Because Russian depravity is so institutionally pervasive, it must remain unspoken.
Read Svetlana Alexievich : unspeakable atrocities in the Gulags went unpunished because
Russia cannot confront its crimes.

[michaelg]

On Telegram I saw video of Russian trucks hiding in the Engine room of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.