Risc de călătorie: MARE

Arial view of the reactors at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
Pentru imagine, mulțumim: The Tech Outlook |Licensed Under Creative Commons

O scurtă prezentare a situației

• There are 15 reactors spread across four nuclear power plants in Ukraine with a combined power generation capacity of 13 Giga Watts. These are:
  • Khmelnytskyi, Netishyn
  • Rivne, Varash
  • South Ukraine, Yuzhnoukrainsk
  • Zaporizhzhia, Enerhodar
• The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe. It has a total of 6 reactors that can generate 5,700 MW of electricity. On 3 March 2022, Russian forces attacked the plant and seized control of the area. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is currently investigating the power plant to give a comprehensive threat forecast.

Ce a condus la situația actuală?

• The conflict at Zaporizhzhia is fuelled by the radioactive stations located in the city, which has led to its strategic importance. The plant is also a critical contributor to the nation’s power supply. Hence, Ukraine has been constantly trying to regain control of the region. This situation poses a serious threat of a nuclear disaster that can impact several countries in the region.
• The plant, under Russian occupancy, is being operated by Ukrainian staff. The external power supply to the plant had been disconnected due to the ongoing conflict. This forced the plant to use its only remaining reactor to generate the power needed for essential cooling operations. On 10 September, one of the power supply lines was restored allowing for the reactor to be shut down. This power, whether supplied by a reactor within the plant or by an external source, is needed for cooling. Failure to do so might have resulted in a nuclear meltdown.
• The plant is currently being switched over to a cold state.
• Additionally, the nuclear waste stored on the site is at constant risk of damage by artillery fire. This may lead to a restricted yet risky radioactive discharge.

Este sigur să călătoriți în Ucraina?

• Acesta este în prezent NU safe to travel to Ukraine due to the current war climate between Kyiv and Moscow. The situation near the Zaporizhzhia power plant is further a high risk due to the threat of immediate radioactive exposure. The consequences of a radioactive disaster in Europe can be generational.

 Evaluare

• The impact of a radiation leak at the Zaporizhzhia power plant is expected to be mostly restricted. However, in the worst-case scenario, the disaster may affect Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, și parts of Germany. 
• Travellers are advised to exercise increased caution while travelling to these countries. Maintaining a distance from the epicentre of the leak, i.e. the Zaporizhzhia Power Plant, will considerably lower the safety and security risks.
• If present within the impact radius of a leak, travellers must evacuate the area immediately. If unable to evacuate, they must find a robust fallout shelter with thick walls able to withstand any radiation. A fallout shelter is recommended for a two-week period till radiations lose intensity. 
• If exposed to radiation, the travellers should seek appropriate treatment immediately.
• Luați în considerare un Calitatea de membru Sitata care vă va oferi avertismente privind perturbările și amenințările în timp ce vă aflați la sol, precum și asistență de călătorie de urgență în cazul în care vă aflați într-o situație problematică.

Concluzie 

• Riscul de călătorie în Ucraina este în prezent ÎNALTĂ. Many countries currently advise against travelling to Ukraine due to the lack of personal security.
• Pentru întreprinderile care doresc un raport mai detaliat asupra situației, vă rugăm să consultați raportul nostru aprofundat raport de analiză pe țară care este disponibil pe site-ul nostru reprezentanți de sprijin.