Moscow: A monitoring mission from the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has arrived at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, marking the first time the team has traveled through Russian territory, a Russia-installed official confirmed on Saturday.
The rotation of IAEA inspectors had been delayed for weeks due to ongoing military activity near the facility, with both Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of violating safety protocols necessary for the mission’s secure passage.
“It is fundamentally important that the route passed through the territory of the Russian Federation for the first time,” said Yuri Chernichuk, the Russian-appointed head of the Zaporizhzhia plant, in a video statement on Telegram.
According to Chernichuk, the arrival of the three IAEA inspectors was facilitated by Russia’s defense ministry and national guard following “intense” consultations between Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear power company, and the IAEA leadership.
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International news agency Reuters stated that it could not independently verify the report. The IAEA did not respond to requests for comment outside business hours, and there was no immediate reaction from Ukraine.
Russian forces took control of the Zaporizhzhia plant—Europe’s largest nuclear facility with six reactors—shortly after launching their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The plant is currently non-operational and does not produce electricity.
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Both Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of shelling near the facility, raising concerns about the risk of a nuclear disaster. The IAEA has maintained a presence at the plant since September 2022 and also monitors Ukraine’s other nuclear power sites.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has consistently called on both parties to avoid any actions that could jeopardize the safety of the facility.
