Summary:
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Jens Laerke of the UN’s OCHA relief coordination office said three trucks have been let into the hotly contested city of Bakhmut in the Donbas region.
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This is happening as Russian forces try to move closer to the strategically important town of Bakhmut.
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“For the first time, our top experts will be stationed permanently at all Ukraine’s nuclear power reactors, not just the one at Chornobyl.
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In the coming days, an IAEA team will be stationed at the Khmelnytskyi plant, located west of Kyiv, Ukraine.
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“Here to stay,” IAEAThe IAEA will have at least 11 nuclear safety and security specialists in the nation at once, a first for the organization, with teams permanently stationed at each of Ukraine’s NPPs and the Chornobyl plant.
Jens Laerke of the UN’s OCHA relief coordination office said three trucks have been let into the hotly contested city of Bakhmut in the Donbas region. This is happening as Russian forces try to move closer to the strategically important town of Bakhmut.
At a press conference on Friday in Geneva, he told the media that the convoy had food, water, hygiene kits, medicines, and other medical supplies from UN organizations.
He said it is for the 800 people who live in this area, which has seen its fair share of wars and a lot of damage. People are in desperate need of assistance, so we are grateful that this convoy has in fact arrived at its destination.
More convoys are expected in the coming days. OCHA Spokesperson Laerke said that the UN and its allies are working to expand interagency assistance activities to Ukraine’s frontline regions, where the needs are the greatest.
The IAEA’s “expanding and stepping up” nuclear safety initiatives
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is backed by the UN, met with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday in Kyiv to talk about the organization’s “expanding and intensifying activities” to help Ukraine make sure that its nuclear facilities are safe and secure. This is a crucial front in the conflict for Ukraine and a source of concern for the rest of the world.
According to a press release from Friday, he told the Ukrainian president that the IAEA had set up many permanent expert missions all over the country this week.
The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, has been criticized a lot in the past few months and has led to growing concerns about nuclear security and safety.
Mr. Grossi talked about how important the zone was for preventing a huge nuclear disaster and promised to keep working toward its creation.
Everyone agrees that the factory, which is in the middle of an active battle zone and on the front lines, needs to be saved, but these conversations are very hard. I won’t give up until the desperately needed zone is a reality. “Over the next few days and weeks, I’ll keep talking with the Russian Federation and Ukraine in depth,” he said.
Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Daily risks in Zaporizhzhya
This significant nuclear power facility still faces daily risks. “Our team is still hearing explosions nearby, including two on Thursday,” he continued.
This week has witnessed a significant increase in the IAEA’s on-the-ground support for Ukraine’s attempts to avoid a catastrophic nuclear accident during the conflict, from north to south. These significant nuclear plants are now flying the IAEA flag at Ukraine’s request.
“For the first time, our top experts will be stationed permanently at all of Ukraine’s nuclear power reactors, not just the one at Chornobyl. Director General Grossi says that their important work will reduce the very real nuclear risks in the country.
In the coming days, an IAEA team will be stationed at the Khmelnitsky plant, located west of Kyiv, Ukraine.
“Here to stay,” IAEA
The IAEA will have at least 11 nuclear safety and security specialists in the nation at once, a first for the organization, with teams permanently stationed at each of Ukraine’s NPPs and the Chornobyl plant.
The IAEA director declared, “We are resolved to do everything in our power to prevent the possibility of a nuclear catastrophe during this awful war.” “In terms of our work in this area, this past week saw a significant advancement, but there is still much to be done. As long as we are required, the IAEA will be around.”
