U.N. nuclear watchdog IAEA hopes to enter Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant this week

Rafael Grossi, the International Atomic Energy Agency chief hopes to enter the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine within a few days if ongoing talks are successful.

In a statement released today, Tuesday, August 23, Rafael Grossi, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he hoped that if ongoing talks are successful then a team could well enter the Zaporizhzhia facility in Ukraine in the coming days.

“I continue to consult very actively and intensively with all parties so that this vital IAEA mission can take place without further delay”, he stated. He added: “The presence of the IAEA will help stabilise the nuclear and security situation at the site and reduce the risk of a severe nuclear accident in Europe. If the current negotiations are successful, the mission is expected to take place in the next few days”.

This news comes after the Ukrainian authorities again accused the Russian military of targeting the nuclear facility with missile strikes over the weekend. They claimed that shelling had damaged the plant’s infrastructure, including laboratories and chemical facilities.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is located near the city of Energodar and was captured by Russian troops back in March. Since then, all the daily operations have still been carried out by the Ukrainian workers. There were accusations levelled at the occupying forces recently of their mistreatment and abuse of the Ukrainian staff, which were immediately denied by Moscow.

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