Russian army spotted building 'unknown structure' near Europe's biggest nuclear power plant

This week it was observed by the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine that the Russian army has been building an ‘unknown structure’ at the dry storage site of spent nuclear fuel of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as per Newsweek.

It is unclear what the structure is at this stage but it is unauthorised and the inspectorate have denounced Russian operations in the area stating that construction is prohibited but they have seen on-site:

a violation of the requirements of Ukrainian legislation, norms, rules and standards of nuclear and radiation safety.

Nuclear disaster

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is Europe's largest plant and was seized by the Russians after the invasion began back in February. Since then, there has been ongoing fighting and shelling causing much concern amongst the international community. It is feared that continued warfare in the area could trigger a huge nuclear disaster.

Recently the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that the site had lost its last main power line due to the conflict and that the site is now running on a reserve power line.

The IAEA commented, as per Newsweek:

One reactor is still operating and producing electricity both for cooling and other essential safety functions at the site and for households, factories and others through the grid.

Terrorist act

Though well-designed nuclear plants are generally quite safe, in cases of warfare, a various number of disastrous circumstances can occur.

Energoatom, Ukraine's nuclear energy operator, have expressed concern over Russian activities at the site and are preparing for the worst. In a recent statement they said they assume that Russian officials in the area are ‘preparing a terrorist act using nuclear materials and radioactive waste stored at the plant.’ as per Newseek.

They went on to comment that there are 173 containers of spent nuclear fuel at the plant and in the worst case scenario:

Destruction of these containers as a result of [an] explosion will lead to a radiation accident and radiation contamination of several hundred square kilometers of the surrounding area

The situation for Ukraine is particularly poignant as they have already had one nuclear disaster in their past, with the Chernobyl catastrophe back in 1986.

Sources used:

- Newsweek 'Russia Seen Building Mysterious Structure by Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine'

- Newsweek 'What Could Go Wrong at the Russian-Held Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant?'