Russia expects experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in the nearest future, Russian Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Ivan Nechayev said on Thursday.
"We expect IAEA experts to visit the Zaporozhye NPP as soon as possible," he said, recalling that the visit had been coordinated back in June before it was disrupted by the UN Secretariat.
The Russian diplomat dismissed as unacceptable calls for a demilitarized area around the nuclear facility, citing Kiev’s numerous provocations previously and its lack of capacity to control nationalists. This will make the power plant even more vulnerable, he said.
Nechayev also warned that Kiev’s strikes on the NPP could jeopardize both Ukrainians and people in many other European countries.
"To prevent a nuclear disaster, we need to have Ukrainian forces end their attacks," he emphasized.
Located in the town of Energodar, the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is controlled by Russian troops. Ukrainian forces recently delivered several strikes on its premises using unmanned aerial vehicles, heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. Most attacks have been repelled by air defenses, but a number of shells reportedly hit some infrastructure and the area near nuclear waste storage facilities.
