RUSSIA/UKRAINE: Russia has ordered residents of 18 settlements in the Zaporizhzhia area to leave, including Enerhodar near the plant. Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of Melitopol in Ukraine, reported five-hour waits due to the departure of thousands of vehicles. A “severe nuclear accident” could occur, the UN’s nuclear watchdog said.
An official from Ukraine claims that Russia has caused a “mad panic” by evacuating a town close to the contentious Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station.
Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), visited the Zaporizhzhia facility a few weeks ago and noted that he had to cross a minefield when he visited.
The IAEA expressed concern about the “increasingly tense, stressful, and challenging conditions” for personnel and their families, despite operational staff still being on site. IAEA experts at the facility were informed that residents of the adjoining town of Enerhodar had been ordered to evacuate.
Yevgeny Balitsky, the regional leader installed by Russia, declared on social media that the enemy had stepped up shelling of settlements close to the front line, leading him to evacuate children, parents, elderly people, disabled people, and hospital patients.
The plant, which Russia took during its invasion last year, has received IAEA safety alerts in the past due to shelling and power outages. In March, the IAEA issued a warning that it was relying on diesel generators to keep critical cooling systems operational.
The IAEA notes that although there are fewer employees at the plant now than when Russia started its invasion, site management has stated that there are still enough for the safe operation of the plant.
The majority of the Zaporizhzhia region is controlled by Russian forces, but the capital city, Zaporizhzhia, is not. Ukrainian army staff announced the evacuation of people to Berdyansk and Prymorsk, farther within Russian-controlled territory, on Sunday.
Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of Melitopol, stated on Telegram that stores had run out of supplies in the evacuated districts, including food and medication.
He also claimed that hospitals were releasing patients into the street out of concern that the region’s water and electrical supply may be cut off in the event of an attack. Fedorov warned that the partial evacuation is too fast and may be preparing for provocations.
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