The IAEA abandoned the idea of ​​creating a demilitarized zone around the ZNPP

The creation of a demilitarized zone around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is no longer being considered, now we are talking about the cessation of hostilities in the area of ​​the plant. This was announced by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi.

“We are not talking about the demilitarized zone. We are well aware of what additional difficulties this will bring, especially in the zone of active hostilities, ”he said (quote according to TASS).

Grossi specified that the agency is now “monitoring that the station is not attacked or that the station is not used for attack.” He called such a concept much “more viable” than the creation of a demilitarized zone. Grossi added that, while considering various projects for a safe zone around the ZNPP, he came to the conclusion that “issues of territoriality, for various reasons, would be regarded by Ukrainians as an alleged legalization of the Russian presence.”

Russia has controlled the ZNPP since the end of February 2022. Since then, the plant and the city of Energodar, in which it is located, have been subjected to regular shelling by 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.

In early September last year, an IAEA mission led by Grossi arrived at the ZNPP. The organization called for an end to the attacks on the station and the establishment of a safe zone around it. The IAEA director has been promoting the idea of ​​a demilitarized zone over the past few months. March 9 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informedthat the countries approached an agreement on the initiative, but it was blocked by the Ukrainian authorities.