IAEA conducts rotation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant without Ukraine’s approval
Pravda Ukraine
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent Rikard Jozwiak and Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom have reported a new rotation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts arriving at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which for the first time took place via Russian-occupied territory without Ukraine’s approval.
Source: Jozwiak on X (Twitter); Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti citing Rosatom
What seemed impossible just a few days ago happened. IAEA has deployed its personnel to Zaporizhzhia NPP via 🇷🇺occupied territory without 🇺🇦 approval. https://t.co/yfpQuSbwXh
— Rikard Jozwiak (@RikardJozwiak) March 1, 2025
Quote from Jozwiak: “What seemed impossible just a few days ago happened. IAEA has deployed its personnel to Zaporizhzhia NPP via occupied territory without Ukraine’s approval.”
Details: Jozwiak reported on 28 February that he had heard the IAEA was planning to rotate its mission at the Zaporizhzhia NPP exclusively through occupied Ukrainian territory, likely via Crimea.
“Without consent from Ukraine and contrary to EU warnings. An audacious move for R [Rafael] Grossi, who aspires to become the next UN Secretary-General,” his post stated.
Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, Rosatom announced a rotation of IAEA observers at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, noting that the rotation route for the first time passed “through Russian territory” [Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine – ed.].
Background:
- On 5 February, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi stated that the IAEA had been forced to postpone the rotation of its mission at the Zaporizhzhia NPP due to a lack of security guarantees from Russia.
- On 12 February, Heorhii Tykhyi reported that Russia had once again disrupted the rotation of IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, resorting to its usual methods of blackmail, threats and provocations. This time the Russians used armed attack aircraft with white flags, deploying them in the border area between the Ukrainian-controlled territory and the temporarily Russian-occupied area.
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