The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) went to the Zaporozhye NPP. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has named the final goal of the mission's efforts.
The goal of the IAEA is the demilitarization of the ZNPP by withdrawing Russian troops. This was stated by Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba.
Russians have settled down at the ZNPP
According to Kuleba, now there are Russian military, representatives of Rosaty and propaganda journalists.
All of them should leave here, because this is the only reliable guarantee that the situation at the ZNPP will return under Ukrainian international control and nuclear safety at this facility will be guaranteed. Any other methods, other ways of solving this situation without effect,” the Foreign Minister noted.
He stressed that the decision that Russia is now seeking is when its de facto presence at the station will be recognized. But the IAEA will exercise control over their nuclear safety. This is a half-measure that does not guarantee nuclear safety and leaves the lever of nuclear blackmail in the hands of the occupying country.
What is the danger of such a development of events at the ZNPP
Kuleba told that the danger is that the situation with nuclear safety will get out of hand.
“The Russians will shrug their shoulders, as they always say, that it was not them, that for some reason this happened, but not because of them, and the world will face the threat of a nuclear catastrophe, much larger in scale than the accident at the Chernobyl power plant,” he said. he.
Risks of the IAEA mission
The Foreign Minister added that the Russians categorically rejected the possibility of the IAEA and the agreement that the mission was possible was reached only last week.
Preparations have been going on since then, you understand that we are talking about crossing the front line, and we see that the IAEA is preparing very carefully for this, we are preparing, because from the point of view of ensuring the safety of this mission, everything must be perfect. And as soon as all the security conditions are created, the IAEA mission will get to the ZNPP,” Kuleba emphasized.
According to him, it is impossible to risk people whom the Russians can simply shoot, kill on the way. Therefore, they are now working to create a safe access corridor at the ZNPP for the IAEA mission.
“Ukraine is absolutely interested in this mission to take place as soon as possible,” Kuleba summed up.
The IAEA is going to the ZNPP: what is known
- Russia in March occupied the Zaporizhzhya NPP, arranging shelling on the territory of the Zaporozhye NPP. In August, the situation at the plant deteriorated sharply.
- Russia mined the Zaporizhzhya NPP and regularly shelled the nuclear plant.
- As a result of hostile actions, on August 25, the Zaporizhzhya NPP was de-energized for the first time, due to which all 6 power units were disconnected from the network. Fortunately, the next day, the Ukrainian staff resumed work at the ZNPP.
- Against the backdrop of Russian provocations, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi announced that the agency's mission was already on its way to the Zaporozhye NPP. The mission planned a visit to assess the situation at the station.
- Rafael Grossi arrived in Kyiv on 30 August. Before the IAEA mission to the Zaporozhye NPP, he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
