Weeks of negotiation and rising tensions around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine have drawn international attention. A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) departed Vienna for the facility, which has been under Russian control since March. The mission aims to assess safety, security, and the condition of infrastructure at Europe’s largest nuclear plant, with a focus on protecting workers and the surrounding public.
On Monday, the IAEA director-general announced via social media that a fourteen-person team would join the plant later in the week. He emphasized the goal of safeguarding safety and security at the site while confirming no specifics about the travel route or duration of the mission. The message underscored the urgency of stabilizing conditions at the plant amid ongoing tensions in the region. [Cited from official IAEA communications]
That day arrived, and the mission, named the Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia (ISAMZ), began its journey to the site. The head of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, stated that protecting safety and security remains the central priority. [IAEA statement and social media posts]
In publicly available remarks, Grossi highlighted the mission’s purpose: to evaluate the site’s physical condition, verify the operability of the main and backup safety systems, and assess overall safety controls. The team, drawn from the IAEA’s safety and security directorates, includes experts who oversee security measures and technological and physical safety.
Bombardments around the facility
Ukrainian officials reported multiple bombing incidents near Zaporizhzhia in recent days; however, authorities indicated there had been no radioactive releases at the plant itself. The Ukrainian president attributed a risk of a potential radiological incident to the ongoing fighting, while Russian and Ukrainian spokespeople aired competing narratives about the attacks. [IAEA cites cross-border information and official briefings]
Since March, the six-reactor complex has operated under a military-led oversight structure. Local plant workers have continued operations under the constraints of the occupying forces, with safety and daily operations impacted by the surrounding conflict. The IAEA mission is charged with confirming whether facility safety and security systems remain functional and whether any damage compromises protective measures. [IAEA update summaries]
Beyond structural inspections, the IAEA team is expected to review the working conditions for plant personnel and to conduct emergency protection checks. The aim is to ensure that declared nuclear material remains securely accounted for and that all safety protocols are effectively implemented, even amid the extraordinary pressures of a war zone. [IAEA assessment framework]