IAEA rotates personnel at Zaporizhzhia NPP via occupied territories, Ukraine's MFA issues protest note

This was stated in a release by Ukraine’s MFA.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by several IAEA employees as a result of Russian blackmail and systematic attempts to impose illegal and contradictory operational mechanisms on international organizations in temporarily occupied territories," the statement read.

The ministry added that Russia is deliberately creating artificial obstacles to the activities of international organizations in Ukraine, forcing them to violate Ukrainian law, bilateral agreements with Ukraine, and UN General Assembly resolutions.

According to Ukraine’s MFA, Ukraine had proposed a safe and legal route for the rotation, but Moscow refused to guarantee the safety of IAEA personnel if that route was used. This led to an 80-day delay in the rotation.

"Russia effectively forced IAEA staff to remain at the plant without rotation for 80 days, far exceeding the planned term, keeping them under unprecedented psychological pressure in a high-risk zone. Moscow essentially deprived international experts of their freedom of movement and used them as a tool of political pressure on the international community," the ministry emphasized.

Ukraine’s MFA does not consider the IAEA’s actions to be a routine staff rotation at ZNPP but rather a humanitarian evacuation under life-threatening conditions for the agency’s personnel.

"Ukraine has sent a protest note to the IAEA leadership, condemning the violation of our state’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and warning against any similar actions in the future. The Ukrainian side will also bring up the issue of Russia’s unprecedented blackmail at an upcoming meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in the coming days," the MFA stated.

Background

Reports that the IAEA might have conducted a staff rotation at ZNPP through occupied Ukrainian territories first appeared on social media platform X, posted by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent Rikard Jozwiak.

"What seemed impossible just a few days ago happened. IAEA has deployed its personnel to Zaporizhzhia NPP via Russiaт-occupied territory without Ukraine's approval," he wrote.

Russian media, including the propaganda outlet RIA Novosti, also confirmed the rotation, citing "Rosatom." According to their reports, the route for the observers’ rotation was, for the first time, established "through Russian territory."

A few days prior, journalist Jozwiak reported that the rotation was likely to occur via Crimea, without Ukraine’s consent and against EU warnings.

"An audacious move for R [Rafael] Grossi, who aspires to become the next UN Secretary-General," the journalist added.

• On February 12, Russia deliberately disrupted the planned IAEA expert rotation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant once again.