Norway’s foreign ministry announced today that Oslo will allocate a total of 250 million kroner (almost 21.5 million euros) for nuclear safety in Ukraine, amid concern over the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant after the collapse of the Kahovka dam.

The war started by Russia poses a threat to nuclear security in Ukraine, says a related announcement by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which emphasizes that “a nuclear accident would have consequences not only for Ukraine but also beyond its borders.”

The 250 million Norwegian kroner will be divided as follows: 100 million to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to enable its experts to continue their inspections of nuclear facilities in Ukraine, and 150 million to strengthen the security of Ukrainian facilities .

They are part of the Nansen programme, which provides military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the amount of 75 billion crowns for the period 2023-2027.

The announcement came amid concerns over the safety of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant – which has been seized by Russian forces since last year – after the collapse of the Kakhovka Dam on the Dnieper River, whose water is used to cool its six reactors.

The head of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, assessed during his visit last Thursday to Zaporizhia that the situation is “serious”, but saw signs of “stabilisation”.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has permanent experts at the nuclear plant, which has been threatened by close-range bombing and has been intermittently cut off from the power grid.

Moscow and Kiev blame each other for the June 6 destruction of the Kakhovka dam, which is in territory controlled by Russian forces. The collapse of the hydroelectric dam on the Dnieper River flooded towns and villages on both the bank held by Russian forces and the bank that remains under Ukrainian control, killing dozens of people and forcing thousands of others to leave their homes.