Ukraine accused Russia of 'forcing' UN nuclear watchdog to delay team rotation at Zaporizhzhia plant
Kyiv claims Moscow using 'blackmail' to pressure international experts, warns of growing nuclear risks at Russian-controlled facility in southeastern Ukraine
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
ISTANBUL
Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of "forcing" the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to delay the scheduled team rotation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine by evading security guarantees to the UN nuclear watchdog.
“This is not the first time the Kremlin has used blackmail as a tool to intimidate international experts and undermine their independence,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi claimed in a statement posted on the ministry website.
The spokesman's remarks come a day after IAEA chief Rafael Grossi arrived in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv for meetings with officials amid growing concerns over nuclear safety.
Zaporizhzhia, where the nuclear plant is located, is 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the front lines of the armed conflict between Moscow and Kyiv troops and has been frequently targeted by airstrikes during the ongoing war.
Since Sept. 1, 2022, IAEA personnel have been present at the nuclear plant, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.
The situation around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest and one of the world’s 10 biggest, particularly remains tense as concerns persist over a possible nuclear disaster, with Moscow and Kyiv both frequently accusing each other of attacks around the facility.
According to Tykhyi, Moscow is attempting to force the world to accept its control of the nuclear plant while also manipulating the situation in the region.
He called on the international community to support the IAEA and reject Russia’s tactics.
He continued to blame Moscow for trying to "force the world" to accept its control of the plant while also manipulating the operational situation. "We will not let any of these efforts succeed," he vowed.
The official stressed that Ukraine appreciates the IAEA's efforts under difficult circumstances but will not allow Russia to undermine its independence. "We urge the international community to strongly condemn the ongoing pressure that the aggressor state continues to exert on the IAEA," he said.
