The IAEA intends to establish a permanent presence at the site of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.
On Tuesday, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said a personal visit to the Zaporozhye (Ukraine) NPP is planned for the next few days.
According to the Director General, the IAEA mission that he expects to lead personally within a few days is intended to inspect the integrity of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, dialogue with Russian and Ukrainian personnel, and establish a permanent presence at the site.
The official did not specify whether the mission would access the area through Russian- or Ukrainian-controlled territory. Given the situation’s urgent nature, such questions should be “put aside,” Grossi said.
Ukraine has insisted the IAEA mission can only travel to the site through territory under the control of Kiev forces. In contrast, Russia has said it could only move through Russian-controlled territory.
#UN team to visit #Zaporozhye nuclear plant ‘within days’ – #IAEA chief
Rafael Grossi said he’ll personally lead the mission to the endangered location pic.twitter.com/gfW6WbcJBo
— Dr_Sh (@drshpk) August 23, 2022
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed last week in a phone conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, that the mission could pass through territory currently controlled by Ukrainian forces.
Located in the southern Ukrainian city of Energodar, the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant has been controlled by Russia since March.
Russia has been asking the IAEA to inspect the site since mid-July when the plant was attacked.
