According to Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), despite the ongoing fighting near the Ukrainian Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), no leakage or penetration of radiation into Germany’s territory has been recorded. “There are no indications that radioactive substances could have been released in Ukraine,” the agency told the Funke media group on Tuesday, Aug. 9.

“The BfS does not see an acute danger from the release of radioactive substances, but shares the concern regarding the need for constant and safe operation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant,” the message reads. The agency regularly measures the background of natural radiation in Germany. “If the measured level of radioactivity at two adjacent measurement points exceeds a certain threshold, a notification will be triggered automatically,” the BfS points out.

The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is under the control of the Russian military but is manned by Ukrainian personnel. Last weekend, the station’s territory was bombed twice. Russia blames Ukraine for the attacks. In Kyiv, the bombing is said to be carried out by Russian troops.

Ukraine has asked the UN and the IAEA to send a mission to the ZNPP

On the eve of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmitry Lubinets said that Ukraine had sent letters to the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urging them to send a security mission to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. “I ask … to completely demilitarize the nuclear plant’s territory and provide security guarantees for nuclear plant employees and residents of Energodar City to service the station,” Lubinets said.

Kyiv fears that Russia may try to completely de-energize southern Ukraine, Ukraine’s IAEA representative Yevgeny Tsymbalyuk said in turn. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the ZNPP bombing. “Any attack on a nuclear power plant is suicide,” Guterres said.