The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA) Rafael Grossi has discussed with Russian officials the safety situation of nuclear power plants in Ukraine's Zaporozhye region and in Russia's Kursk region, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
"The IAEA is doing everything possible to ensure the nuclear safety of the plants that are threatened by the conflict in the region," Grossi said in the Russian city of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea after a meeting with the head of the Russian nuclear holding company “Rosatom” Alexey Likhachev.
Earlier this week, Grossi held talks in Kiev and visited the nuclear power plant occupied by Russian troops at Energodar in the Zaporozhye region. Shortly before that, he also inspected the nuclear power plant in Kursk, which is at risk after the entry of Ukrainian troops into Russian territory.
„The situation remains extremely tense, extremely difficult,”, Grossi told media representatives in Kaliningrad.
Likhachov, for his part, said that IAEA experts could be sent to monitor the situation at the Kursk nuclear power plant, as they were sent to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, in case of escalation. Talks on this issue will continue, Likhachev said. “It is important to understand the technical aspect - even a drone attack can lead to irreparable consequences,”, he warned.
Russia has repeatedly accused Ukrainian troops of attacking the nuclear power plant since they entered the Kursk region on August 6. The headquarters in the Russian region is now operating normally.
The situation surrounding the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in the Zaporozhye region is considered even more complicated. Ukrainian and Russian troops have repeatedly blamed each other for shelling the facilities, and recently there was a fire in a cooling tower there. The six reactors of the Energodar plant are not working.