ZNPP power unit is not damaged, but danger persists until plant’s deoccupation – Galushchenko

The presence of the Russian occupiers on the territory of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhzhia NPP (ZNPP), poses a direct threat to the nuclear safety of all humanity.

According to Ukrinform, Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko emphasized this on the air of the United News telethon, commenting on the mine explosion near ZNPP, the Ministry of Energy reports.

"Fortunately, the power unit was not damaged. But there is a danger already in the fact that terrorists control the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. We can't hope that we have been spared a catastrophe today, because we can't look forward to tomorrow with confidence. There is a very clear feeling: until Russian barbarians leave our nuclear facility, there will be a danger for all humankind," Galushchenko stressed.

In his words, the Ukrainian side is receiving signals that Russians are operating the equipment of the occupied ZNPP incorrectly.

"We do not understand in what condition we will receive our plant back. We hope that IAEA experts present at the station will be able to prevent the destruction of equipment and incorrect operation of the station itself," the minister added.

He pointed out that Ukraine, for its part, is doing everything it can to ensure safe plant's operation, including supplying electricity to ZNPP from the Ukrainian power grid. It allows it to power nuclear facility’s safety systems.

"By its actions in Ukraine, Russia is violating all the principles of nuclear and radiation safety. The free world's response to these violations should be to impose sanctions on the terrorist state’s nuclear industry and to refuse Russian nuclear fuel," Galushchenko summarized.

As reported, on April 13, a Russian mine exploded near the turbine room of ZNPP’s unit 4.