Russia’s permanent representative said there was no significant progress in the negotiations on the ZNPP

There is no significant progress in the consultations on the creation of a security zone around the Zaporizhzhya NPP (ZNPP), said Mikhail Ulyanov, permanent representative of the Russian Federation to international organizations in Vienna, writes TASS. According to him, “trampling on the spot continues.”

“Unfortunately, there has been no significant progress in the course of consultations on the establishment of a nuclear and physical safety protection zone at ZNPP. Marking on the spot continues,” Ulyanov said.

The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation in Vienna called the “lack of a substantive reaction” of Ukraine to the proposals of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi on the ZNPP as the key reason for this state of affairs. Ulyanov noted that for the head of the agency, the creation of a security zone is “the first priority.” According to Ulyanov, Grossi continues contacts on this issue, and is also actively working in the information field.

“Let’s see how these efforts will end. Grossi himself, as far as I understand, is counting on a positive result,” Ulyanov concluded.

January 27, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova statedthat Moscow does not rule out Grossi’s soon visit to Russia. According to her, the Russian side maintains a dialogue with the head of the IAEA in all areas of the agency’s activities, including the operation of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and the creation of a nuclear and physical safety protection zone around this plant. About his plans to come to Russia in February Grossi declared The 25th of January.

Former head of the IAEA again emphasized the importance of creating a security zone around the Zaporozhye NPP. According to him, on this issue, he will continue to conduct “intensive” consultations with Russia and Ukraine in the near future.

In December, a year passed by the General Director of Rosatom Alexei Likhachev saidthat negotiations with the IAEA regarding the creation of a protective zone near the Zaporozhye NPP are ongoing, but the “ball” is not on the side of Russia. Even then Likhachev declared the need to create a security zone around the station as soon as possible, “otherwise it will look like just dragging out time.”

Russia has controlled the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant since the end of February, since then the plant and the city of Energodar, in which it is located, have been subjected to regular shelling from Ukraine. In early October, after the Zaporozhye region became part of Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed to take the plant facilities into federal ownership and create the Zaporozhye NPP FSUE to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities.