Attack on a Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant Was “A Close Call”

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, tells me today’s attack was a close call. I managed to catch him on the phone just before his flight to Iran, amid talks to try to revive that nuclear deal. He says the Ukrainians are actually still operating their plant, but under stressful circumstances.

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RAFAEL GROSSI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, IAEA: We were in contact through the night with the operators at the plant, with the regulators of the Ukraine, myself, with the prime minister. They’re talking to all of them, offering assistance. And, luckily, the situation did not degrade into a nuclear accident. There was no release of radioactive material. But, of course, it was a close call, and an indication of something that we have been trying to say over the past few days, in the sense that this unprecedented situation of a conflict ongoing in a country that has such a big nuclear infrastructure is, of course, something that adds a very concerning element to something which is, in and by itself, a very grave international situation.

AMANPOUR: Mr. Grossi, what would have happened if one of the reactors had been hit?

GROSSI: Well, if one — it depend — it would depend on the kind of, of course, impact that you would have. Normally, reactors are well-prepared to withstand external forces like this or even a plane crash. So, there is a good degree of protection. But in a worst-case scenario, what you would have is the release of radioactive material, which is the core of the reactor, so, indeed, a serious situation.

AMANPOUR: Mr. Grossi, did you…

GROSSI: Yes.

AMANPOUR: Have you been able to talk to the Russian authorities? You say you were in touch with the Ukrainian authorities? Have you been able to talk to the Russian authorities, either ask them what they were targeting and why, and to cease and desist?

GROSSI: Yes. Yes, of course. My normal interlocutor is Ukraine, because this is about Ukrainian facilities. But the realities of the ground are — of course, indicate that Russian forces are there. So I have to talk to them. And what they maintain is that there is no targeting whatsoever of these facilities and what happened was an accident. So, in any case, what I’m telling them and I’m telling everyone is that utmost restraint should be exercised in and around these type of facilities, because, wittingly or unwittingly, you can very quickly go into a disaster.

AMANPOUR: Right.

GROSSI: And this is why we are so concerned.