UN Committed To Bringing IAEA Technicians To The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Rafael Grossi: We Are Ready

JAKARTA - The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said he was ready to lead a mission to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), asking Russia and Ukraine to cooperate, so that their inspectors could immediately travel.

This was conveyed by him in a briefing before the UN Security Council last Thursday. Both Moscow and Kyiv are accusing each other of the security conditions of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

"The IAEA has been ready to carry out such a mission since June, when we were preparing to leave. But unfortunately, due to political factors and other considerations, it was not possible," Grossi told the council, adding all military action around the plant had to stop. August.

Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said the trip agreed between Russia and the IAEA in June was canceled by UN security officials.

"We believe the IAEA representatives are justified in going to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as soon as possible, perhaps even before the end of August," Nebenzia told the Security Council.

Separately, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the agency was committed to doing everything possible to bring IAEA technicians to Zaporizhzhia.

"There is a war going on, and we are talking about a nuclear power plant in the middle of a battlefield," Dujarric told reporters.

Previously, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for military activities around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine to be stopped.

"The facility should not be used as part of any military operation. Instead, urgent agreement is needed at the technical level on safe demilitarization boundaries to ensure the security of the area," Guterres said.

The nuclear power plant is still run by Ukrainian technicians. Ukraine's energoatom said the area was hit five times on Thursday, including near a radioactive material storage site.