The operator says that the Chernobyl plant is disconnected from the power grid

Electricity is necessary for the cooling, ventilation, and fire extinguishing systems of the enclosed site. In a statement on its Facebook page, Ukrenergo also said He said The diesel emergency generators have been running but the fuel will only last 48 hours.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba demanded a ceasefire with Russia to allow for reforms.

“The only electrical network supplying the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and all its nuclear facilities occupied by the Russian army were damaged,” chirp. “…I call on the international community to urgently demand Russia for a ceasefire and to allow correctional units to restore energy supplies.”

He warned that after the backup diesel generators run out of fuel, “the cooling systems of the spent nuclear fuel storage facility will shut down, making radioactive leaks imminent. Putin’s barbaric war puts the whole of Europe at risk.”

International Atomic Energy Agency He said Wednesday on Twitter that the loss of energy “violates [a] An essential safety pillar to ensure power supplies are uninterrupted,” but added that “in this case, the IAEA does not see any critical impact on safety.” The agency said factors including the volume of cooling water at Chernobyl were “sufficient to effectively remove heat.” without the need for an electrical supply.

Also on Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said it had lost contact with monitoring systems relaying data on nuclear materials at the Chernobyl plant.

The Director-General of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency noted “the loss of remote transmission of data from the safeguards control systems installed at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.” He said in a statement.

“The agency is studying the status of safeguards monitoring systems at other locations in Ukraine and will provide more information soon,” she added.

Adviser to the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolak chirp On Wednesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency “unexpectedly lost contact” with monitoring systems, calling it a “very dangerous situation”.

The Chernobyl plant, which was then under the control of the Soviet Union, was the scene of disaster 1986 Explosions and fires sent a massive radioactive cloud over parts of Europe and left contaminated soil and other precipitation, still dangerous, at the plant site.

The disaster ranks as the world’s worst nuclear power plant accident.

Russian Defense Ministry last month And confirmed that its forces It took control of the area near the site as part of the broader Russian invasion of Ukraine, which sparked global concern.

The European Union said in a statment On Wednesday, it expressed “grave concern” about the nuclear safety risks “caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and possible damage to its nuclear facilities.”

It issued an “urgent call” for Russia to end its military operations near all nuclear power facilities in Ukraine and allow them to operate safely.

We must do everything in our power to prevent a nuclear accident, nuclear accident, or other radiological emergency that could seriously affect the local population, neighboring countries and the international community. It is time to act to avoid such a scenario.

Also on Wednesday, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushenko said: according to To Reuters, the authorities do not know what radiation levels are in Chernobyl and have no control over what happens at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plantIt is the largest in Europe, which was occupied by Russian forces last week.

This week, the International Atomic Energy Agency reiterated the two sides’ offer to the Director-General to travel to Chernobyl and other sites in Ukraine to help protect nuclear facilities amid conflict.

The Chernobyl area, one of the most radioactively polluted places in the world, has remained closed since 1986, although a few people still live in the area – mostly elderly Ukrainians who refused to evacuate.

The building containing the explosive reactor from 1986 in 2017 was covered with a blanket massive shelter Designed to contain the radiation that is still leaking from the accident. Robots inside the shelter work to dismantle the destroyed reactor and collect radioactive waste. It is expected that it will take up to 2064 to complete dismantling the reactors safely.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Ukrainian authorities have told the agency that it is “increasingly urgent” to relocate 210 technical staff and guards at the Chernobyl plant to ensure “safe management” amid “deteriorating” conditions. They have been working at the factory since the Russian forces took control.

“I am deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation facing workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the potential risks that this entails to nuclear safety,” Grossi said. “I am calling on the forces in effective control of the site to urgently facilitate the safe circulation of personnel there.”

Annabelle Chapman contributed to this report.