The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced that it will extend its presence in Ukraine to «help prevent a nuclear accident» as the Russian invasion of the territory, which began almost a year ago, progresses.
The agency’s director general, Rafael Grossi, has confirmed the extension and expressed his «pride» in «leading the IAEA mission in Ukraine.» «We are deploying to all nuclear power plants in Ukraine to provide nuclear safety and security assistance,» he said in a message posted on his Twitter account.
On Friday , Grossi announced in statements to Italian television channel Rai News 24 his intention to travel this week to Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, Prime Minister Denis Shmigal and Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba, as well as to visit the country’s nuclear power plants.
Last week a new group of IAEA experts arrived at the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant, which is under the control of the Russian Army, to replace the previous team, which had been there for several weeks.
For months now, Russia and Ukraine have been exchanging accusations about attacks on the facilities of the plant, which is located in the Zaporiyia region. On September 1, an IAEA mission headed by Grossi went to the plant and confirmed the shelling in the vicinity.
Subsequently, Grossi himself asked to accelerate the process of creating a security zone around the plant to avoid a nuclear disaster due to the bombings.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
