EU prepares if Russia attacks nuclear plants in Ukraine

The European Commission (EC) works in a “contingency plan” in the event that Russia decided to attack the nuclear power plants in Ukraine, which has 15 operational reactors in four plants, in addition to the Chernobyl exclusion zone, where there are four closed reactors.

“Our nuclear regulator is preparing a contingency plan for the possible threat of the Russian military attacking the Ukrainian nuclear power plants. As you know, they already use Chernobyl as a shelter for their heavy weapons.”, said the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, in an appearance before the Committee on Energy and Industry of the European Parliament.

In Ukraine there are 15 nuclear reactors in four atomic plants, including Zaporizhia, one of the largest in Europe and now under the control of the Russian army.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has also warned this Thursday of the risk posed by military activities together with nuclear infrastructures, along the same lines as the European Group of Nuclear Safety Regulators of the EU (Ensreg), which after the Russian invasion has recalled what “the attack and threat against nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”.

Last Monday, the energy ministers of the countries of the European Union (EU) agreed in an extraordinary council held in Brussels “closely monitor the safety of nuclear power plants in Ukraine” and endorsed Ensreg’s position.