The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) calls on the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) to completely break off cooperation with the Russian Federation and stop the implementation of projects based on Russian technologies.

"Regarding possible measures and actions in relation to the Russian Federation by the WENRA member countries, the SNRIU proposes, in particular, the complete termination of interaction with the Russian Federation, which uses the resources of international organizations for purposes that have nothing to do with nuclear and radiation safety, as well as stopping the implementation of projects on Russian technologies," the inspectorate said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

According to it, Oleh Korikov, head of SNRIU, expressed this position during an on-line meeting with Oliver Gupta, Director General of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), and his deputy at WENRA, Mark Foy.

At the same time, SNRIU called on the leadership of WENRA to firmly raise the issue before the top leadership of the countries and those who have influence on decision-making about the need to take effective measures that could lead to a protected sky over Ukrainian nuclear facilities and to a ceasefire.

As noted in the message, Korikov informed his interlocutors in detail about the situation with the seizure of the Chornobyl site by Russian invaders, as a result of which an increase in radiation was recorded, and its workers have been held for nine days without rotation and deprived of normal working conditions. In addition, Korikov stressed that, contrary to all international agreements and principles of nuclear safety, Russian military forces in the amount of almost 100 tanks and a large number of infantry broke into the satellite city of Zaporizhia NPP Energodar, fired at the plant, causing unprecedented risks of a global catastrophe. At the same time, Korikov stressed that, according to available information, a similar situation could occur with respect to the Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear power plant (NPP) located in Mykolaiv region.

Focusing on the importance of observing nuclear safety and the consequences that its violation could lead to, the SNRIU calculated a project for the possible spread of radioactive contamination of the environment within 72 hours in the event of the destruction of one of the Zaporizhia NPP units on March 5, 2022.

"In the event of an emergency at the Zaporizhia NPP, radioactively contaminated air masses will most likely move in a southeasterly direction and, crossing the territory of Ukraine, will reach the coast of the Sea of Azov, with subsequent exit in 6-7 hours to the territory of the Russian Federation and gradual dissipation as a result of a change in movement to south-south-west direction and the movement of radioactive contamination for 15 hours over the territories of the Stavropol Territory and the North Caucasus," the SNRIU described a possible situation.

According to its calculations, the next day, a change in the movement of atmospheric air to the west is expected, as a result of which the remnants of radioactive emissions from March 7 may be over the Black Sea coast, including in the territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Turkey, and Bulgaria.

According to SNRIU, power units No. 2 and No. 4 of Zaporizhia NPP are in operation on Saturday morning. Power unit No. 1 is undergoing scheduled preventive maintenance; work is underway at power units No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6 to cool nuclear installations.