IAEA halts mission rotation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant over Russian security risks

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi stated this.

He emphasized that the Kremlin has repeatedly used blackmail as a tool to intimidate international experts and undermine their independence.

"For example, during one of the previous rotations, Russia carried out a drone strike on an IAEA vehicle," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson recalled.

According to him, Moscow has at least two reasons for pressuring the independence of the International Atomic Energy Agency: first, to forcibly impose international recognition of the illegal occupation of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant, and second, to manipulate the operational situation around the facility.

Tykhyi stressed that Ukraine highly values the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency under unprecedented security conditions.

"We will not allow Russia to undermine the independence and impartiality of the Agency to achieve its criminal goals. We call on the international community to firmly support the International Atomic Energy Agency and strongly condemn the unprecedented pressure that the aggressor state continues to exert on its leadership," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson stated.

He also once again emphasized that Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is illegal and poses a serious risk of a nuclear incident.

"This is an unprecedented case of an aggressor seizing the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and turning it into a military base. Only the return of the plant to its rightful owner, Ukraine, will restore nuclear security and protection in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s norms and standards," Tykhyi stressed.

• The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, arrived in Ukraine on February 4. He visited nine substations essential for the operation of nuclear power plants. Grossi also promised to visit the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant for the sixth time.