Russia again disrupts IAEA rotation at Zaporizhzhia NPP

The relevant statement was made by Spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry Heorhii Tykhyi, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“On 12 February, Russia has once again deliberately disrupted the rotation of IAEA experts at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The Kremlin is following its usual pattern of blackmail, threats and provocations. This time, the occupiers used armed attack aircraft with white flags deployed in the area where the line between the government-controlled territories and the temporarily occupied zone crosses. It was there that the IAEA experts were supposed to cross,” Tykhyi noted.

In his words, the scenario for disrupting rotations is similar every time. First, the Russian side fails to agree on the point and time of the rotation for a long time, then gives vague signals about its alleged readiness to guarantee safe passage, but an hour before the start of the rotation opens fire or starts hostilities in the area. After that, Russian attack aircraft appear with white flags and IAEA flags, and Moscow claims that “everything is ready” for the mission.

“This is not the first time such actions have been repeated, but the security risks are getting higher every time. By organising such provocations, Russia is trying to force the IAEA to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and send international experts to the ZNPP through the temporarily occupied territories. At the same time, Moscow is blackmailing the Agency by completely blocking the mission’s work. Russian pressure on the IAEA is unacceptable, and we demand that the international community defend the Agency against Russian blackmail,” Tykhyi emphasized.

According to the Ukrainian side, over three years of occupation, Russia has degraded Zaporizhzhia NPP, turning Europe’s largest nuclear power plant into a military base.

“This is part of Russia’s broader strategy of nuclear threats and the use of peaceful nuclear energy as a weapon. The presence of the IAEA prevents Russia from implementing this plan, so it systematically puts pressure on the Agency, tries to undermine its authority and create conditions under which independent oversight will become impossible,” Tykhyi explained.

He expressed confidence that the Kremlin’s attempts to force the IAEA to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would not succeed.

“Ukraine will not allow Russia to use the Agency to legitimise the occupation and will not allow the IAEA’s independence to be undermined. We call on the international community to firmly support the IAEA so that Russia finally realises that its blackmail and threats will not work,” Tykhyi concluded.

A reminder that, on February 5, 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) postponed mission rotation at Zaporizhzhia NPP due to the lack of security guarantees from Russia.

Photo: bbc.com