Russian occupiers give IAEA 1 day to complete Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant inspection as its mission sets out from Kyiv to Zaporizhzhia

IRYNA BALACHUK – WEDNESDAY, 31 AUGUST 2022, 07:39

The mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has set out from Kyiv to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) where it is expected to inspect the situation at the power plant and establish permanent IAEA representation. Russian occupiers stated that they give the IAEA mission one day to complete its inspection.

Source: Ukrinform; RBK (or RBC, Russian Business Consulting), a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet

Quote from Rafael Grossi, IAEA director general, during a press briefing in Kyiv: "After six months of efforts [to organise the visit], we are finally ready to set out. The IAEA is heading to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. As you know, we have a very important mission there: we will work to examine the situation there and to help stabilise it as much as we can."

Details: Grossi also said that the mission is planning to spend several days at the ZNPP. Its members will speak to the ZNPP staff before reporting on the outcomes of their inspection. The organisation is also hoping to establish a permanent representation at the power plant.

Meanwhile, Yevhen Balytskyi, the Russian-appointed puppet "head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military-Civilian Administration", said that the IAEA mission is only expected to spend one day at the ZNPP.

Quote from Balytskyi: "The [IAEA] visit is expected to last one day. They have one day to inspect the operation of the plant. If they say some elements need to be attended to, we’ll be able to do so in the course [of the inspection]. So far the stated [goal of the IAEA visit] is to ‘inspect the power plant’s operation’. This seems pretty vague to us."

Details: Balytskyi also said that the Russian side is prepared to show "evidence of Ukrainian attacks on the power plant" and provide "local residents’ testimonies" during the IAEA mission’s visit to the ZNPP.

He added that the IAEA mission will travel to the ZNPP via the city of Vasylivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, which is controlled by Russian forces; from there, it will head to Enerhodar, the ZNPP’s satellite city.

Previously: On 30 August, the IAEA mission arrived in Kyiv. President Zelenskyy met with Rafael Grossi and other members of the IAEA mission. 

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