The IAEA is ready to begin immediately consultations that will lead to the establishment of a nuclear safety and protection zone at nuclear power plants.

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi proposes to the United Nations Security Council to create a nuclear safety and protection zone at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, occupied by the Russian military.

Grossi announced this on the Twitter microblog.

“The current situation is unacceptable, and the best measure to create security and protect nuclear facilities in Ukraine and its people would be an immediate cessation of this armed conflict,” the IAEA Director General said.

“Until this happens, urgent temporary measures are needed to prevent a nuclear accident provoked by military means. This can be achieved by immediately starting a safety zone. We are ready to start immediately consultations that will lead to the creation of a nuclear safety and protection zone,” Grossi said.

Situation at ZNPP

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian invaders seized the ZNPP and the satellite town of Energodar on March 4. Russia refuses to create a demilitarized zone around the ZNPP. In August, the invaders periodically fired at the nuclear power plant and the area around it.

At the request of the government of Ukraine, the IAEA formed a mission to visit the power plant seized by the occupiers. It included 14 international experts. The mission was led by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

On September 1, the IAEA delegation arrived at the Zaporozhye NPP. Mission objectives: physical protection; nuclear safety; guarantees of non-proliferation of nuclear materials.

On September 2, Grossi announced that two of the organization’s experts would continue to work at the nuclear power plant on a full-time basis.