Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant director warns of radiation risk from attacks on the plant

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant director Yuriy Chernichuk has warned of the risk of serious radiation consequences if attacks on the facilities and personnel of the ZNPP continue.

He made the statement to TASS.

According to Chernichuk, the constant pressure on plant workers could provoke errors in their work. He described a possible chain of events: first, the operating conditions of the facility could be disrupted, then individual technical parameters, and further development of the situation could lead to an incident with long-term radiation consequences.

“This could affect not only the city where the plant is located, but also a large territory,” the ZNPP director stressed.

Chernichuk also stated that, despite the ongoing pressure and attempts to cause panic among staff, the plant’s workforce continues to carry out its duties in normal mode and has the situation under control.

On May 31, Ukrainian forces struck the plant’s transport workshop. As a result, six buses and two Gazelle vehicles were destroyed. No casualties among personnel were recorded. The ZNPP noted that attacks on transport carrying plant workers around the territory of Enerhodar had been recorded previously.

On the same day, strikes hit a maternity hospital, a boxing school, residential buildings, gas stations, and an administrative building in Enerhodar.

Earlier, a combat drone attacked the machine hall of power unit No. 6 of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The damage was recorded by experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency. According to the ZNPP, the point of impact was just a few meters from the reactor, which raised additional concerns about nuclear safety.