Russia Hopes The IAEA Mission To The Implemented PLTN Zaporizhia, Tuding Ukraine Do Nuclear Terrorism

Maria Zakharova. (Twitter/@RussianEmbassy)

JAKARTA - Moscow hopes that a visit to the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN) by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspector can be carried out, despite the destructive influence of Kyiv.

"We believe that (the IAEA inspectoration) will take place, despite the destructive influence on this process by the Kiev regime and everyone who supports it, and those who use nuclear facilities as mere instruments for not only extortion but terrorism," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with Voskresny Vecher's program with Vladimir Solovyov on the Rossiya-1 television channel.

"Because what the Kiev regime is doing around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is nuclear terrorism. Obviously, it can not only be done by those who have dirty nuclear weapons or bombs, but also as we now see," he stressed.

Furthermore, Zakharova called for no confidence in Western lies, which said Russia had been pressured to grant access to PLTN Zaporizhia to IAEA inspectors.

"I want everyone to ignore reports and fake news coming from the West that they allegedly succeeded in pressuring the Russian side to approve the examination, that they allegedly used all their diplomatic skills to persuade us to organize such an investigation. That kind of investigation," he explained.

"That's not true. That's a lie. We've seen efforts to present a situation like this, so I just want to warn that the information campaign will go on this way," Zakharova said.

He also stressed that it was Moscow that insisted on carrying out such an inspection. "They have called for such an inspection, asking for it. In addition, it has received a full understanding of the IAEA, from its director general and for months not trying to regulate this visit. I remember how Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with the Director-General of the IAEA a few months ago. I remember a lot of contacts, phone calls, and private meetings held by our representatives for this organization. Diplomatic efforts are focused on organizing inspections," he said.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that the IAEA had formed a mission, which is expected to visit PLTN Zaporizhia next week.

Located in the city of Energodar, PLTN Zaporizhia is the largest of its kind in Europe. Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of attacks around the plant. Meanwhile, the United Nations expects a demilitarized zone around the power plant area.