Kiev 31 August : Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) left Kiev on Wednesday to visit the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in the Russian-occupied region of southern Ukraine. “We will be spending a few days in Kiev,” IAEA chief and head of mission Rafael Grossi announced before leaving Kiev.
Grossi said he along with 13 experts were on hand to help stabilize the situation as best they could, according to DPA news agency.
The IAEA chief hopes to have discussions with the plant’s Ukrainian personnel during the visit.
Grossi stated that his team received all the necessary safety security guarantees for the lengthy trip to the zone of war, which is about 500 kilometers from Kiev.
“We are about to enter the occupied territory, and that requires explicit guarantees not just from the Russian side but also from the Republic of Ukraine,” he stated before launching in the form of a convoy of 10 white SUVs with UN markings.
The IAEA team was welcomed by the President Volodymyr Zelensky at the time of their arrival in Kiev on Tuesday.
He declared the arrival of the mission as one of the most crucial security concerns for Ukraine as well as the rest of the world at present.
Zelensky advocated for demilitarization of the nuclear power plant that is occupied by Russia.plant, stating that it is necessary to create a zone around the plant.
He also demanded the transfer of the nuclear power plant back under Ukrainian State control, as it is the sole way to eliminate any nuclear-related risks.
The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is the biggest in Europe.
Its net output of 9,500 megawatts.It also boasted over 10,000 employees prior to the war started.
The plant was in the hands of Russian forces just after the war of Ukraine was launched at the close of February.
In recent days the power station has been under constant fire, and Kiev and Moscow blame each other, leading to concerns around a possible nuclear disaster.
