Ukraine News: Russia raises age limit for conscription into the army

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency have discovered anti-personnel mines on the outskirts of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which is occupied by Russian troops. During an inspection on Sunday, the specialists would have some mines in a buffer zone found between the inner and outer barriers of the facility, says IAEA Director Rafael Grossi, according to the agency’s statement. The operating personnel have no access to this area. No mines were found in the inner area of ​​the site.

Russian troops had occupied the nuclear power plant shortly after the start of the aggressive war. The plant came under fire several times, which, despite being shut down, increased international concern about a nuclear catastrophe. For months Moscow and Kiev have suspected each other of deliberately provoking an accident at the nuclear facility. The allegations came to a head in early July. It was said that an attack was imminent. In the meantime, the situation has calmed down somewhat.

The IAEA, which has its own observers on the site of the nuclear power plant, declared at the height of the dispute that it saw no signs of mining. At the same time, however, the international nuclear experts also reported that the plant had previously been mined and that they did not have access to all areas of the power plant.

Grossi says his agency was aware that mines had been placed off-site and also at certain points within the site. His team was told it was a military decision, in an area controlled by the military. “The presence of such explosives on the site is contrary to IAEA safety standards and nuclear safety guidelines,” Grossi said. However, based on its own observations, his agency concluded that the detonation of these mines should not affect the facility’s nuclear safety and security systems.