ISTANBUL

Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday accused each other of disrupting another planned rotation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

A commentary by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine for the situation, citing Kyiv’s “provocative actions” as the reason behind the rotation’s disruption.

She claimed that the Russian military waited for the IAEA experts at the agreed location for several hours, but the experts never showed up.

“In view of the fact that the situation in the meeting area was deteriorating and creating unacceptably high risks for both Russian military personnel and for the Secretariat experts in the event of their arrival, a decision was made to recall the Russian rotation support group,” she said.

Zakharova said the column containing Russian military personnel and IAEA experts was subjected to drone strikes and mortar fire after the recall, and that Ukraine simultaneously tried to strike the Zaporizhzhia plant using drones.

“The distance from the crash site of one of the Ukrainian drones to the first power unit of the plant was no more than 300 meters,” she said, adding that Moscow will continue to work with the IAEA to ensure the safe presence and work of IAEA personnel at the plant.

In an earlier commentary, Ukrainian Foreign Minister spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi accused Moscow of “deliberately disrupting” the rotation and trying to force the IAEA to violate Kyiv’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by sending international experts to the plant through Ukrainian territory under Russian control.

“At the same time, Moscow is blackmailing the Agency by completely blocking the mission's work. Russian pressure on the IAEA is unacceptable, and we demand that the international community defend the Agency against Russian blackmail,” Tykhyi said.

He accused Russia of turning the nuclear plant into a military base, as part of Russia's “broader strategy of nuclear threats and the use of peaceful nuclear energy as a weapon.”

“The presence of the IAEA prevents Russia from implementing this plan, so it systematically puts pressure on the Agency, tries to undermine its authority and create conditions under which independent oversight will become impossible,” he said.

He added that Ukraine will not allow Russia to undermine the IAEA’s independence and “use” it to legitimize its control over the plant.

The situation around the Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest and one of the world’s 10 biggest, particularly remains tense as concerns persist over a possible nuclear disaster between Moscow and Kyiv, both of which have frequently accused each other of attacks around the facility.

Zaporizhzhia is 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the front line with Moscow and has also been frequently hit by airstrikes amid the conflict in Ukraine.

Since Sept. 1, 2022, IAEA personnel have been present at the facility, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.