Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on world leaders to put more pressure on Russia to remove its troops from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant — as it resumed operations early Friday after the unprecedented shutdown the day before.
Ukraine’s state nuclear company, Energoatom, said one of the plant’s two functioning reactors had been reconnected to the grid by 2 p.m. local time and was again supplying electricity after it fully disconnected.
Energoatom hailed staff at the plant as “real heroes” who “tirelessly and firmly hold the nuclear and radiation safety of Ukraine and the whole of Europe on their shoulders and work selflessly so that their native country has life-giving electricity.”
Back-up diesel generators ensured power supply vital for cooling and safety systems at the plant, Zelensky said.
Ukraine’s Zaporizhizhia nuclear power plant was back on line on Friday, after being cut off from the power grid for hours following shelling.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the global community to put pressure on Russia to withdraw its troops from Zaporizhzhia. Alexey Furman/Getty Images
The president credited the Ukrainian technicians for working to ensure the facility’s safety under the gaze of the Russian occupiers.
Zelensky said Russian shelling had sparked fires in the ash pits of a nearby coal power station that cut off the Zaporozhzhia plant from the electricity grid – but a Russian official said Ukraine was to blame.
“The key thing is … international pressure is needed that will force the occupiers to immediately withdraw from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” he said in a video address on Thursday evening.
“The IAEA and other international organizations must act much faster than they’re acting now. Because every minute the Russian troops stay at the nuclear power plant is a risk of a global radiation disaster,” he said, referring to the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
A mission from UN’s IAEA is expected to visit the facility in the coming days after both sides agrees to grant a safe passage. REUTERS
A team from IAEA is expected to visit Zaporizhzhia soon, but more shelling was reported in the area overnight.
Lana Zerkal, an adviser to Ukraine’s energy minister, told Ukrainian that logistical issues are being worked out for the IAEA team to come to the Zaporizhzhia plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces and run by Ukrainian workers since the early days of the 6-month war.
Zerkal accused Russia of trying to sabotage the visit.
“Despite the fact that the Russians agreed for the mission to travel through the territory of Ukraine, they are now artificially creating all the conditions for the mission not to reach the facility, given the situation around it,” she said.