The IAEA fears the consequences of the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for ZNPP

The Zaporozhye NPP is located on the line of contact, so the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine may affect the situation at the plant, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi told the BBC.

Grossi said that during his last visit to the Zaporizhzhya NPP, he made sure that all the necessary measures were taken at the facility after the Kakhovka reservoir dam broke.

“But there are issues related to Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Zaporozhye NPP is on the front line. So I’m just as worried as before,” he said (quote according to RIA Novosti).

Earlier, on June 23, Kaliningrad hosted another round of consultations between the Russian delegation, headed by Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev, and the IAEA. In addition to Grossi, his deputies took part in the negotiations. The press service of Rosatom stressed that the discussion focused on issues related to the nuclear safety of ZNPP. “Rosatom” also said that he expects concrete steps from the IAEA aimed at preventing attacks by the armed forces of Ukraine (AFU) both on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and on the adjacent territory and critical supporting infrastructure.

ZNPP has been under Russian control since the end of February 2022. Since then, the plant and the city of Energodar, where it is located, have been subjected to regular shelling by Ukraine. In early September last year, an IAEA mission arrived at ZNPP. The organization called for an end to the attacks on the station and the establishment of a safe zone around it.