“The occupants did not transfer power unit No. 5 to cold shutdown ZNPP for extortion” – expert 

The visit of the IAEA mission to the plant was “strange”. This opinion was expressed by Olha Kosharna, PhD in chemistry, independent expert on nuclear energy and nuclear safety, former member of the SNRIU Board, at a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine – Odesa.

“Grossi was warned that the SNRIU had issued an order on June 8 to immediately transfer power unit 5 from hot shutdown to cold shutdown. But the russian management of ZNPP did not comply with this order. And as far as I know from my sources, the head of the SNRIU during a meeting in Kyiv drew attention to Rafael Grossi’s insistence on fulfilling this legal requirement of Ukraine,” – the expert noted.

But, as the Kosharna pointed out, the IAEA Director General “did not say any word during the briefing at ZNPP and later”.

She also noted that the IAEA reports contain a version that coincides with pro-Russian narratives.

“Namely, that power unit No. 5 should be in a hot shutdown, because it is necessary to produce steam for processing wastewater from the laundry of overalls and air conditioning,” – the expert noted.

She also emphasized that according to her own sources, yesterday, June 20, the above equipment was not working, and only today, June 21, this equipment was launched to “bring the condition of the equipment in line with the words of Rafael Grossi on the IAEA’s official website.”

“Keeping Unit 5 hot was a far-fetched reason to extortion Ukraine and the world with a possible accident. And to force our state to negotiate” – Kosharna emphasized.

According to the expert, it is enough for the occupiers to blow up the cooling pond, not the reactor itself, to cause a catastrophe.

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