IAEA chief warns of risk of nuclear incident in Russia's Kursk region

Moscow, Aug 28 : Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi has warned of a risk of a nuclear incident at the Kursk nuclear power plant due to the conflict nearby.

"There is a risk of a nuclear incident here now," Grossi said on Tuesday after visiting the plant in Russia's Kursk region at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to assess the situation and work with Russian colleagues on solutions to current issues.

Following his visit to its main facilities, the IAEA chief noted that the nuclear plant is operating under nearly normal conditions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Grossi said he was informed about attempted drone attacks on the plant's facilities, adding that he personally saw "traces of these attacks".

He noted that military activity near the nuclear plant ultimately raises security concerns.

Russia accused Ukraine last Friday of trying to attack the Kursk nuclear power station. The drone fragments were reportedly located nearly 100 metres from the plant's spent fuel nuclear storage facility.

The IAEA can propose a range of technical steps and measures aimed at ensuring nuclear safety, Grossi noted.

He said the UN nuclear watchdog has already established a framework for cooperation with Russia's state nuclear power conglomerate Rosatom, representatives of the Russian armed forces, security forces, and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The IAEA and Russian representatives are "discussing what can be done to prevent radiation incidents at the plant," Grossi added.

"I was informed about the impact of the drones. I was shown some of the remnants of them and signs of the impact they had," the IAEA Chief said, without saying who was responsible.

He warned that the nuclear reactor at the Kursk plant doesn't have a protective dome, unlike most nuclear facilities, making its core very vulnerable to artillery or drone strikes.

"The core of the reactor containing nuclear material is protected just by a normal roof, he said during his visit.

"This makes it extremely exposed and fragile, for example, to an artillery impact or a drone or a missile."

"A nuclear power plant of this type, so close to a point of contact or a military front, is an extremely serious fact that we take very seriously."

Despite the ongoing conflict, the power station is operating “in very close to normal conditions,” according to Grossi.

“My message is the same for everyone: no nuclear accident can happen. It is our responsibility to make sure of that,” Grossi said at the news conference, adding that the agency won't take sides in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

"This conflict, this war, is not the responsibility of the IAEA."

Russia captured Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant at the start of its invasion and has repeatedly endangered the plant's safety, drawing condemnation from Grossi.

Grossi will travel to Ukraine next week to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discuss "a number of things," including the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and the presence of IAEA experts at other sites in Ukraine.