IAEA Director-General offers to head expert group in visit to Zaporizhzhya NPP
Apr 30, 2022
Moscow [Russia], April 30 (ANI/Sputnik): International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi offered to head a group of experts to go to Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) as soon as possible, the IAEA said on Friday.
"IAEA Director-General @RafaelMGrossi has proposed to lead a visit to Zaporizhzhya NPP after necessary consultations and at earliest possible opportunity," the agency tweeted.
According to the IAEA, the Ukrainian side informed the agency of the difficult conditions under which Ukrainian specialists worked at the NPP.
"Personnel at Zaporizhzhya NPP--controlled by Russian forces but still operated by its Ukrainian staff--were 'working under unbelievable pressure' Ukraine told IAEA. Specialists from Rosenergoatom demanded daily reports from management," the agency added.
On Thursday Grossi announced that he would meet with Russian representatives to discuss possible visit to Zaporizhzhya NPP.
On March 4, the Russian forces took full control over the Zaporizhzhya NPP. Russian troops and Ukrainian soldiers of the NPP guard battalion reached an agreement to jointly secure the plant. Russian specialists provide advisory assistance to Ukrainian plant personnel, who are in charge of the management and the operation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. Moscow said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)
