Ukrainian engineers at a Russian-owned nuclear power plant face enormous pressure as they come under fire working under the barrel of Russian guns, but Chernobyl's We continue to work to prevent such disasters from happening. said one of them.
Technicians, who asked not to disclose their identities for fear of Russian retaliation, got a rare glimpse of harsh working conditions at the Zaporizhia factory, where Moscow and Kyiv have accused Moscow and Kiev of shelling each other. .
Europe's largest nuclear power plant was taken over by Russia in his March, a series of shellings widely condemned, and calls for the International Atomic Energy Agency to carry out emergency missions to facilities in southern Ukraine grow. rice field.
Technicians told Reuters that many workers had sent their families out of the town of Enerhoder, where the plant is located, but were on their own to ensure the plant's safe operation. .
“Employees understand that they need to take their families out, but they themselves come back. You have to work, and that's even worse," said the technician. He said.
Heavily armed Russian troops are stationed throughout the scene, which in itself is highly disturbing, and armored personnel carriers point their barrels at the entrance as workers enter. , he added.
The Russian military sometimes does not let workers go home immediately after finishing their shift, he said.
"They found a reason not to kick out [the employees] - they came up with shelling or something else," he said.
"They walk around the grounds with guns all the time. It's very hard to go into a factory and meet these people and have to be there.
The Russian Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Energoatom, Ukraine's top agency, which usually oversees factories, said it believed workers at the facility were under pressure and at risk.
On August 2nd, the company's chief executive, Petro, introduced Cotin's comments to Reuters. He said staff were working under "intense psychological and physical pressure" and complained about the presence of Russian troops at the scene.
The nuclear power plant had her 11,000 personnel until Russia invaded her on 24 February. Ukrainian authorities have not disclosed the current number of workers, citing security reasons.
There has always been concern that power lines to the power plant could be cut because the pumps that cool the reactor core and spent fuel pool require electricity to function. said the technician.
There is a backup power plant running on diesel, but the technician said he didn't know how much diesel fuel was left on site.
Enerhodar's pre-war population was over 50,000. The town's mayor, Dmitro Orlov, told Reuters about 25,000 people remained.
About 1,000 of the factory's workers had left town by July, Energoatom spokesperson Leonid Olynik told Reuters, adding there was no data on their families. added.
Only two of the six reactors are currently functioning, but there is still a lot of critical safety work for staff to do, engineers said. He said four of his six reactors at the plant are not currently operating at normal capacity but still require proper maintenance.
"The security of Ukraine, and that of the entire continent of Europe and the world, is at stake, so staff are back to maintain control," said the technician.
Ukraine and Russia want his IAEA inspectors to visit the facility after several shelling hits the nuclear power plant facility, and the IAEA head Rafael Grossi said he was ready to lead the mission.
The United Nations says such travel can be facilitated, but Ukraine and Russia must agree on it.
"Only after the complete liberation of the town, nuclear power plant, thermal power plant, Zaporizhia, Kherson region, etc., will people It's really safe," he said.
The IAEA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.