IAEA Chief Calls Zaporizhzhia NPP Situation 'Extremely Vulnerable'

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, stated in an interview with a Japanese television channel that the presence of military personnel around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, who refuse to recognize the closed areas, is unacceptable.

Grossi mentioned that attempts were made to create a protective zone near the Zaporizhzhia NPP, but a counter-offensive was launched. The IAEA chief did not clarify which country's military personnel he was referring to.

Rafael Grossi also described the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP as "extremely vulnerable." He noted that the nuclear plant is located on the front lines and in a complicated situation, particularly as the Ukrainian Armed Forces are conducting counter-offensives. Grossi emphasized that IAEA experts are constantly working on-site. In his opinion, anything could happen at any moment.

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to conduct a military special operation in Ukraine in response to a request for assistance from the leaders of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Earlier, Grossi had reported that the organization's staff had not found signs of mining during the latest inspections at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.