Russian forces stop Ukrainian media from entering Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, jam signal in Energodar to prevent broadcasts - Energoatom

This was reported by Energoatom.

"The Russian occupiers are making every effort to prevent the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency from getting to know the real state of affairs at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. They are spreading manipulative and false information about this visit," the message reads.

In particular, Ukrainian and foreign journalists who tried to get to the ZNPP together with the IAEA mission were not allowed by the Russian soldiers at the checkpoint from our territory. However, they brought their "media" through Russia.

The Russians took IAEA experts to prepared locations. Only operative personnel were allowed to work at the station and limited the presence of people on the way of the delegation.

"In violation of all fire safety requirements, military trucks are located in the engine rooms of power units. They were presented to the IAEA experts as equipment of the chemical defense forces. They are trying to hide all the violations of nuclear and radiation safety created by them in lies and manipulations," the press service writes.

The mission was not allowed into the crisis center of the ZNPP, where the Russian military is currently stationed.

"In other words, a part of the armed Russian occupation forces were simply "hidden" at the nuclear plant," Energoatom writes.

Russian forces talked about the shelling of the station, the consequences of damage to the ZNPP infrastructure, and blamed everything on the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The IAEA also met the residents of Energodar, who complained about shelling allegedly from the Ukrainian side.

At the same time, the Russian forces jammed communications in Energodar to make it impossible to transmit photos and videos from the station.

"We understand that under these conditions, it will be difficult for the IAEA to give an objective assessment of the situation at the ZNPP. Instead, we emphasize that it is impossible to implement all the recommendations of the nuclear and radiation safety restoration mission at the plant while it is under the control of the Russian occupying forces," Energoatom added.

• On August 31, the IAEA mission left Kyiv and arrived in Zaporizhzhia, despite the fact that the occupiers made the delegation wait in line at the border of the occupied territories.

• On September 1, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the IAEA mission would arrive at the ZNPP, despite the Russian forces’ efforts to prevent it.

• Energoatom reported that as a result of the shelling of the occupiers, the emergency protection at the ZNPP was triggered, and the fifth power unit was shut down. As noted, this is the second time over the last 10 days that the criminal actions of the Russian army have led to the shutdown of the unit and the de-energization of the station.

• According to President Zelensky, the occupiers are trying to turn the IAEA mission into a useless tour of the ZNPP.

• The mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency will maintain a permanent presence on the territory of the ZNPP. 5 representatives remain at the plant.

• It was reported that inspectors of the IAEA mission moved around the station and communicated with employees of the Zaporizhzhya NPP in the presence of the Russian military and Rosatom employees.

• The Ministry of Energy says that shutting down the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant will not reduce the threat, because nuclear material remains inside.